tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39147180158965015072014-10-07T00:27:10.626-04:00porkosity(it's a word, look it up)Corey Mintznoreply@blogger.comBlogger366125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-4682271330359815802014-09-03T11:21:00.002-04:002014-09-03T11:23:41.284-04:00Ask a President: The Fast Swimmer Situation<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FGWVfk0aKQ4/VAcxR68-8kI/AAAAAAAACNE/fmQ5xnzcGwg/s1600/the-swimmer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Times; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FGWVfk0aKQ4/VAcxR68-8kI/AAAAAAAACNE/fmQ5xnzcGwg/s1600/the-swimmer.jpg" height="640" width="416" /></a></div><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Getting some action on this pressing issue:</span><br /><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b>President Meric Gertler,</b></span><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b>Thank you for your help last year in replacing the clock batteries in the Hart House pool room. The school and its reputation are better for this. I contact you now with a matter of no less, and no greater, importance.</b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b>People are swimming fast in the medium lane. As you are no doubt familiar with the pool, I needn't explain that it is separated into slow, medium and fast lanes, and within those lanes, members swim toward the clock wall on the right side and back toward the change room wall on the left side. Recently I was in the pool and a gentleman or lady was swimming so fast in the medium lane that the lifeguard had words with him or her. Unrepentant, he or she continued to swim at the same speed, passing me within the right side of the lane.</b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b>Can you imagine what it feels like to have someone's nearly naked body push past you while swimming, like some in utero twin squeezing ahead of you in the birth canal, eager to be first born and claim the family fortune? It was unsettling. Where I found the courage to keep swimming, I cannot say.</b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b>I seek your help in bringing this perpetrator to justice and preventing this crime from happening again, perhaps to a victim less stout of heart than I.</b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b><br />While I only viewed this person from the top of their head, poking out of the water, I will do my best to describe them. The suspect is male, possibly female, possibly caucasian, possibly non-caucasian, of average height and build, no visible scars, though he or she may have some visible scars, possibly blonde, brunette or bald. Last seen wearing yellow swim cap.</b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b>I hope that, with your involvement, we can resolve this issue quickly.</b><br /><div><b><br /></b></div><b>--&nbsp;</b><br /><div dir="ltr"><b><br /></b><b>Corey Mintz</b><br /><b><br /></b><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i>Dear Mr. Mintz,<u></u><u></u></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i>Thank you for your message. By way of CC on my response, I am copying Tom Moss, Manager of Recreation and Wellness at Hart House as he is better able to investigate this matter.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i>Best wishes,<u></u><u></u></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i>Ko Clementson</i></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i>Administrative Secretary, Office of the President</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b><br /></b></span></div></div></div>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-58167623717683883822014-06-25T16:30:00.003-04:002014-06-25T16:31:19.147-04:00RIP Steven Davey<div class="MsoNoSpacing"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--8zFj7rVIHA/U6sxOsba1oI/AAAAAAAACEI/iNalJI2vpeI/s1600/salt-shakers-ck-0806-x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--8zFj7rVIHA/U6sxOsba1oI/AAAAAAAACEI/iNalJI2vpeI/s1600/salt-shakers-ck-0806-x.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Steven Davey called and identified himself as a restaurant critic. It was a hot day in 2006. He asked me questions about the menu, my menu, since I was the “chef”. It still seems silly now, accepting that title, with a staff of one, lording over a vegetarian kitchen in a not-yet-revitalized Queen West.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">I told him which chilies I used in the pink peppercorn caramel (habanero), served with roasted chunks of squash. Then I pleaded with him to tell me if it was a positive review, as most inexperienced restaurateurs do. And like most critics, he told me he couldn’t say. But that if it was a nasty review, he would ask the photographer to take shots of the salt shaker or something, that he wouldn’t embarrass people by asking them to pose for a photo in a bad review. And he wanted me to be in the photo.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">When I got home (there were no smartphones in them days), I googled him, frantically looking for a photo that would confirm which diner he’d been. I hoped it would jog my memory and I could figure out what he’d eaten, if he’d liked it. Couldn’t find one.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br />When Kathryn Borel’s review came out (in Eye, the antecendent to The Grid), a rave, we were rammed. The next week, I read Davey’s review with mock outrage. He had loved every part of the menu that was mine and hated every part that was someone else’s idea. And he made sure to make fun of them, their job titles and experience, noting that he had the honour of reviewing the owner’s previous restaurant, and that it had closed the same day.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The owner turned out to be a mean drunk, and a thief, not unusual in the business. And one day we all quit together. But Davey’s review helped me immeasurably. It buoyed me with confidence (deservedly or not). It helped settle disputes about what worked on the menu. And it packed the joint too. I don’t know if it’s still true. But in 2006, even a tepid review of a vegetarian restaurant was enough to bring diners from the Beaches and the Island.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Toronto food writers aren’t the tightest knit community. Most of us are barely even pleasant to each other. But I did right by Steven Davey. He passed away recently.&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I never met him.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">&nbsp;</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-86467173459967776392014-06-03T12:03:00.001-04:002014-06-03T12:12:19.275-04:00DUELING BUBBIESMy grandmother Marge died recently. She was the last of my grandparents. Seems an appropriate time to publish this story.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qO0N2VOxc5I/U43zYdWiBZI/AAAAAAAACBk/S-iAjtqcuB8/s1600/P1190895.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qO0N2VOxc5I/U43zYdWiBZI/AAAAAAAACBk/S-iAjtqcuB8/s1600/P1190895.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">DUELING BUBBIES aka TWO OLD FARTS<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The Litvaks weren’t musical people. so the sound at their party was the tinkle of glasses and ice. Tinkle tinkle. Over the ambience of Henri Mancini, just past the din of small talk, hovering above the murmur of “mazel tov”, the sound of tinkling echoed through the Litvak home. Ice cubes, drowning in lakes of vodka, rattled against the bars of their highball cages. Martini glasses and champagne flutes clinked together in agreement both mock and sincere. Tiny spoons, forks and knives, a Lilliputian armory of silverware, lay strewn over dirtied plates of Wedgwood china, among lumps of caviar and lox.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Afternoon snow fell on the quiet side street in Forest Hills, a Toronto residential neighbourhood that was affluent on this 1967 afternoon, and still is. The temperature continued to drop, matching, the mood in the centrally heated home. Though nestled on a street where all of the houses hemorrhaged against their generous plots of land, the Litvaks owned the smallest home between architectural Frankensteins. Lacking the luxury of a circular driveway, the half-dozen cars spilled out onto the street and took cover under blankets of unsullied white snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The Litvaks, Irving and Flora, were hosting a reception for the wedding of their oldest daughter, Ellen, to Frank Mintz, son of Ben and Marge. Flora hated Frank, detested Marge, and wasn’t too crazy about her own daughter either. Nor did she care much for her husband. She liked Ben though. Everyone liked Ben. Ben was stoic and agreeable. He in turn, found the Litvaks nice enough, and was happy for his son on what is traditionally a joyous day. Marge despised Flora and regarded Ellen as the slut who would ruin her son’s life. She found Irving agreeable, though hardly stoic. Irving resembled a turtle, his small bald head poking out the top of his round shell, and talked the way cab drivers used to in movies, referring to women as broads and dames. In the summer he preferred the solace of his back yard where could barbecue thick slices of salami and was not required to wear a shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The chasm that divided these two families, both Jewish and both Canadians, was class.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Litvaks had dough and the Mintzes didn’t. Irving Litvak, who owned a furniture department store, had risen to the rank of upper middle class/ lower-upper class Jew, while Ben, a chatchka peddler who drove from town to town, selling commemorative spoons and music boxes to gift shops, remained upper-lower/ lower-middle class. Worse, Ellen and Frank had decided, as was fashionable at the time, to drop below the radar of the social classes they were born into. Hair down to their asses, they lived in Rochdale, an apartment building converted into a hippie commune minus the olive trees. The first time Irving met Frank, he punched him in the mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Frank had refused to wear shoes at their wedding, a fact that complicated the Jewish tradition in which the groom finalized the ceremony by crushing a wine glass with his foot. This was done to scare away demons who, it was once widely believed, are attracted to beautiful people such as brides and grooms. It also breaks the solemnity of the ceremony, signaling the beginning of the raucous party to follow. Regardless of footwear, the young beatniks had declined the tradition as they viewed the breaking of the glass to be needlessly destructive.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The Litvaks, who accurately saw the children’s hippie lifestyle as anathema to the ritual of an expensive wedding, seized the opportunity by refusing to pay for a lavish reception.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Mintzes resented the Litvak’s refusal. Marge was a feminist who did things her way, a grade six drop-out who wouldn’t go to university or learn to drive until she was 60. But on Sunday, January 25th, 1970, the greatest generation still felt the wedding to be the duty of the bride’s parents regardless of how silly they their children were. To Marge, children have, are, and always will be silly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">So, aided by a little booze, the Litvaks and Mintzes mingled, as friendly as Ukrainians and Russians might mingle at a UN potluck. Lips were coiled, fingers locked around highball glasses. Politeness and decorum were maintained, with deference to good will toward the young couple. Cards were held closely.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Slowly, silently, Marge snuck toward a long, oak, sideboard in the dining room. She ran her hand, calloused from a lifetime of sewing and baby-raising, over the polished surface. Casually, but without the ease a professional criminal has for being inconspicuous, she rotated the jewel of her own modest engagement ring around so it faced the inside of her palm. Antipathy focused in her hand like a shoalin monk, she again ran her hand over the shiny top of the sideboard, this time with a loud “screeeee” sound, louder than she’d expected, as she gouged a 3-inch groove into the wood. Turning the ring back over, she smiled for the first time on the day of her son’s wedding.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Flora’s brother Jerry, a closet diabetic and wide-open chahzar (one who overindulges in food), had been nearby in the kitchen, hoovering a plate of pickled herring and kishke. He had seen the whole thing. Ben too, had witnessed the incident, although he would never admit it to Marge. Jerry crept into the den and whispered into his sister’s ear. Flora turned as red, which was difficult to notice as she spent her winters in the Mexican sun or getting chemical face peels, leaving her skin the waxy brown of a russet apple. She set down her martini glass on the coffee table. It clinked on the metal coaster. Flora sashayed into the dining room with military rigidity.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">What followed was ugly. If there had been anything left unsaid between the two families it was said then. While there was no love lost between these two households, it had been expected that the union of their children, joyous or disapproved or whatever, would eventually unite them. But as the two middle-aged women bared their fangs and talons it became clear to the guests/ spectators that these women had no intention of ever getting along. They never would. Not before dying.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gLTUNz0XgWI/U43zXcceZ4I/AAAAAAAACBc/LMdIsg97BEo/s1600/P1150954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gLTUNz0XgWI/U43zXcceZ4I/AAAAAAAACBc/LMdIsg97BEo/s1600/P1150954.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Thirty-two years later, a shrunken Flora Litvak sat behind the wheel of her massive Cadillac (considered by many to be the Cadillac of cars), doing 85 on the highway, on her way to her great-granddaughter’s birthday party.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The marriage of Frank and Ellen had not lasted. But it did produce two sons, Yonan (named after Flora’s mother Yitza) and Corey (a popular boy’s name of the mid-seventies). Over the decades the two women had tolerated each other’s presence at a handful of birthday parties, bar mitzvahs, and exactly one Passover dinner. It had been fifteen years since their last encounter. She hadn’t seen Corey (who’d turned into a handsome young man) since the last funeral a few years ago, where Marge had cut her off in the parking lot and she’d hissed, “I’ll fucking kill her if she touches my car”, before another car cut her off and she hollered, “God-damned chinaman! He can wash my laundry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Flora had requested Corey’s presence for the drive to Mississauga. Maybe she wanted to connect with her grandson or maybe she wanted backup so she wasn’t the lone outsider at a child’s birthday party. Traffic whipped past them as she cruised below the speed limit, headed to the outer limits of Toronto’s suburbs.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">It was a clear, Sunday afternoon in August. A crowd of grown-ups reclined in a semi-circle of lawn chairs watching six-year-olds frolic in the grass. Yonan and Christine, beaming parents of birthday girl Mattison, corralled the kids, organizing games for them while tending to the uneasy balance of in-laws who tolerated each other at best. Yonan welcomed his brother and grandmother to his Mississauga backyard. Corey made rounds, as he had learned, shaking hands and smiling and trying to remember names. The two old ladies, now well into their seventies, enduring more like soldiers than mothers, made daggers with their eyes from opposite ends of the yard. Their husbands, now over eighty, were both hospitalized. The marriage, not just of Frank and Ellen, but of all their children, was long forgotten. The marriage, or lack of marriage, of their grandson Yonan had not even been an issue of contention for them. It had gone out of fashion to care.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">They were both here on this summer day, as is a grand-parent’s privilege, to extract a little enjoyment from the birthday of a little girl. It was another loaded day, the first family gathering of their grandson at his home, another merging of families on the line. Both grandmothers were all too aware of the tenuous nature of their presence. No antagonism between them would be tolerated. A sharp word or a raised voice, even the hint of upsetting anyone, particularly the children, and they were out on their asses, never to be invited again. Still … the gash in the sideboard, buffed over decades ago, still remained.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Watermelon and strawberry ice cream cake were served on paper plates. Soda was gulped from plastic cups. Marge sat at the far end of the garden with her back to the wall.&nbsp;&nbsp;Flora perched on the deck near the house and her getaway car. They took their positions and held their distance, as if old ladies were natural predators and family get-togethers their habitat.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Marge rose, gunfighter-slow, clomped over grass, past heedless children, up the steps of the deck, and with her back to Flora poured herself a drink of ginger ale. Flora, who never cared for non-alcoholic beverages, held her breath and steeled her eyes. The two grandsons eyed their grandmothers. Corey tugged at his earlobe, waiting to see which old lady would break, would say something or in any way acknowledge the other’s presence.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Motionless, Marge drank soda with her back to Flora. Defeat lay in the first move. After years of overt hostility, the old enemies, mothers, then grandmothers and now great-grandmothers, had, perhaps out of respect for the current generation or perhaps realizing that they were the last of their generation, settled on agreeing to ignore each other. Neither spoke. Marge kept her back to Flora and Flora kept silent.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">And then Marge farted in Flora’s face.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><br /><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A few years later, when Flora died, they gave the sideboard to Goodwill. What was anyone going to do with a sideboard?</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/6Cuulelk-7Q" width="480"></iframe>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-6816890254083803532014-04-29T21:33:00.000-04:002014-06-11T14:58:15.501-04:00The BEST 57 Toronto Restaurant Photos of Goats That Look Like Paul Giamatti<div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Or, 57 places that I recommend for eating, divided by price range.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Or #tacocupcakeburger</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Or:&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Lists are dumb. <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2014/05/08/why_best_is_the_worst_food_word.html" target="_blank">The concept of "BEST" is dumb.</a></span> These are places I like.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">If it’s May in Toronto then it’s time for the&nbsp;</span><a href="http://torontocomics.com/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Toronto Comic Arts Festival</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">, organized by Friend-Of-The-Column, Friend&nbsp;IRL, People’s Champ </span><a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Comics212"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Chris Butcher</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">. He always asks me to make some suggestions. Here they are.</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">They're is divided into three categories, low medium and high. At the low end, you can get a meal for under $20, in the middle, to comfortably enjoy dinner with wine, tax and tip, expect about $50 and, at the high end, luxury places where you’ll spend in excess of $100.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">For no-reservation restaurants you know to get there at 6 or be prepared to wait, right?</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Also, Butchie turned it into a swell&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><a href="https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zHAtm4HZGz6Y.kLdiuPpArsOo" target="_blank">google map</a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">. (well, he did last year)</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LOW</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span></b><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4GhvrAgfNVs/U1140P2frKI/AAAAAAAAB8k/DSnrPmwgj8E/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-08-08+at+7.44.28+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4GhvrAgfNVs/U1140P2frKI/AAAAAAAAB8k/DSnrPmwgj8E/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-08-08+at+7.44.28+AM.png" height="406" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mr. Ma hand-pulling noodles for dandan</div><div style="text-align: center;">photo by Steve Russell</div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/thechinesetb">Chinese Traditional Bun</a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">536 Dundas St. W</span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Still my favourite place to go for a cheap meal. This would be my dirty little secret if I ever stopped telling EVERYBODY about it. Fortunately they keep it dirty with the spicy dan dan noodles (get the home made ones for $1 extra), lotus root salad and the titular buns; English muffins stuffed with roasted pork.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /><a href="http://www.northofbrooklyn.com/" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';" target="_blank">Northof Brooklyn Pizzeria</a><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">650.5 Queen St. W.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">647-352-5700<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">469 Church St.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">647-980-7990</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Currently my favourite pizza in Toronto. They deliver (though I hear they often take an hour and it doesn’t arrive hot, so …). I’ve only had it by pick-up.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">King Place<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">236 Sherbourne St.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">647-352-0786<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">Aks for Mr. Butt. Yes, that’s his name. That name again is Mr. Butt. And Mr. Butt makes wonderful Pakistani food. Haven’t had a bad dish. I can never pass on the kashmiri chiken.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://newhopperhut.com/" target="_blank">Hopper Hut</a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">880 Ellesmere Road<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">416-299-4311<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">This Scarborough Sri Lankan restaurant has a fiery crab curry that sweats my butt off. Best shoveled down with platters of kottu roti.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://www.thisendup.ca/" target="_blank">This End Up<o:p></o:p></a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">1454 Dundas St. W.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">647-347-8700<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">I went to school with the owner and he named a sandwich after me (a special, if that counts). But many independent witnesses testify that they make phenomenal sandwiches here. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://www.banhmiboys.com/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Banh Mi Boys</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">392 Queen St. W.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">399 Yonge St.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Fancy banh mi. The “tacos” are really flatbread sandwiches. The meatball is shockingly good.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><a href="http://eatcalifornia.ca/locations/" target="_blank">California's</a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">244 Claremont St.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">416-603-3317</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Veal, chicken, eggplant &amp; meatball sandwiches, the size of boxing gloves, efficiently slapped together by sassy ladies. Since the 60s.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://www.thestockyards.ca/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Stockyards</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">699 St.Clair Avenue West</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">416 658 9666</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Still my favourite burger (the “beast”, nee “animal”) and fried chicken in the city, at any price. Ribs are available Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Still only one location. Still no liquor.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://www.theburgerspriest.com/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The Burger’s Priest</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;source=s_q&amp;hl=en&amp;geocode=&amp;q=1636+QUEEN+ST.+E+TORONTO+M4L+1G3&amp;sll=37.0625,-95.677068&amp;sspn=30.544155,67.675781&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;hq=&amp;hnear=1636+Queen+St+E,+Toronto,+Toronto+Division,+Ontario,+Canada&amp;z=16"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">1636 Queen Street East</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">3397 Yonge St.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">647.346.0617</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">3397 Yonge St.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">416-488-3510<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">463 Queen St. W.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">647-7488108</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Smashed burgers. Beef is ground on site, cooked rare if you want it, seasoned only with salt and pepper. Now with three locations.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JAz4pIkVelM/U1141BGfcAI/AAAAAAAAB8s/piMMrkuUdHM/s1600/fe71b82e46c7aad6fa7aac08ecd6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JAz4pIkVelM/U1141BGfcAI/AAAAAAAAB8s/piMMrkuUdHM/s1600/fe71b82e46c7aad6fa7aac08ecd6.jpeg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">the cowlorie at Holy Chuck (though made at home by me). photo by Dave Cooper</div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://www.holychuckburgers.com/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Holy Chuck</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">1450 Yonge St.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">416-962-4825</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Pretty identical to Burger’s Priest. Just less cool. The room looks like butts, but there is space to sit down. Get the titular Holy Chuck (a bacon double-cheeseburger) or the Cowlerie (same thing with grilled cheese in place of buns). I’ve eaten the Go Chuck Yourself (6 beef patties inside three grilled cheeses), a total of 1.5 pounds of meat. I don’t advise it.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://www.ghazale.ca/new/index"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Ghazale</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;(LATE NIGHT)</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">504 Bloor Street West</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">416-537-4417</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">You will smell the cumin down the block. The cabbage rolls could only be better if you didn’t have to eat them with plastic cutlery.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Hibiscus</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">238 Augusta Ave.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">416-364-6183&nbsp;</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Haven’t been in years. But really, what’s gonna change on their tiny, non-changing menu of vegan, wheat free and inexpensive meals?</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The Owl of Minerva</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;(LATE NIGHT)</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">416-538-3030</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">700 Bloor St. W.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Trash food for trash people. But sometimes, late at night, you’re trashed. And not only are they open 24 HOURS, but they have a special; $20 for a dish with five beers. This is basically the unprotected sex of restaurants.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://www.porchettaco.com/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Porchetta &amp; Co.</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">825 Dundas St W</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">647-352-6611</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Porchetta sandwiches and soup. They do truly special specials with soft shell crabs, waffles or eggs.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">RAMEN</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Ramen is finally everywhere. Here are three I like.</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><a href="http://www.sansotei.com/">Sansotei</a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">179 Dundas St. W.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://santouka.co.jp/en/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Santouka</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">91 Dundas St. E.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="https://twitter.com/ramenRAIJIN"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Raijin</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">3 Gerrard St. E.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Pho Hung</span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">350 Spadina Ave.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">NOTE: Everyone has a respectable pho joint in their neighbourhood that they are loyal to. Pho Hung is no better than another dozen places. It's just the one near me. Pho. ‘Nuff said.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="https://twitter.com/SevenLivesTO"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Seven LivesTacos</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">69 Kensington Ave.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">For a neighbourhood that’s all about food, there are surprisingly few good eating options in Kensington Market. Seven Lives is one of them. Get the Gobernator — smoked marlin and shrimp with cheese — taco. Warning: tacos are big. Get a fork.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><a href="http://www.dimsumking.ca/" target="_blank">Dim Sum King</a></span><br />421 Dundas St. W. (3rd floor)<br /><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">They may not be the best. And they may have squeezed us for more money at the last minute before my book launch. But year after year, the char siu bao are sweet and puffy and they still offer cart service, which is what most people expect out of dim sum. Oh, they open EVERY DAY at 9 a.m.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MEDIUM</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><a href="http://www.barbuca.com/" target="_blank">BarBuca</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">75 Portland St.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">no reservations<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">Everything is tiny and delicious. Just get the whole front section, a platter of little sandwiches filled with tripe and lardo and truffles and … just get it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rI_GZ1sUuD4/U114wty3_3I/AAAAAAAAB8Y/e3iarD92qn8/s1600/IMG_3764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rI_GZ1sUuD4/U114wty3_3I/AAAAAAAAB8Y/e3iarD92qn8/s1600/IMG_3764.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://roseandsons.ca/" target="_blank">Rose &amp; Sons</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">176 Dupon St.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">647-748-3287<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://roseandsonsbigcrow.com/" target="_blank">Big Crow</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">In the alley behind Rose &amp; Sons. Same number<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://www.fatpasha.com/" target="_blank">Fat Pasha</a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">414 Dupont St.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">647-340-6142<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">Anthony Rose opened an excellent lunch/brunch restaurant, loud and fast and greasy. Everyone loves the patty melt burger but it may be too fatty for even me. I prefer the cornbread and brisket. Then he opened a barbecue shack out back. Not as consistently good. I think I like all the sides more than the meat. But the long benches, charcoal smoke and adjacent train tracks make it a great place to hang. Rose figured out that Rosedale Jews were his bread &amp; butter and has capitalized on it with Fat Pasha, which may be the best for dinner. Bright middle-eastern flavours, steaming pita, platters of lamb, mint, peas, pickled vegetables, etc.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://foxleybistro.ca/Welcome.html"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Foxley</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">207 Ossington Ave.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">(416) 534-8520</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">no reservations</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Southeast Asian flavours are the umbrella. But imaginative ceviches are the focus. Get them all.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://twitter.com/#!/frankskitchen"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Frank's Kitchen</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">588 College St.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">416-516-5861</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Yes, it still feels odd to be going for a nice meal on a street that's become a mini-club district. But Frank's is solid, surprising&nbsp;with inventiveness&nbsp;from breadbasket to dessert.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Dayali Beijing Roast Duck</span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">20 Gibson Dr., Markham</span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">905-604-8680</span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">No disrespect to the titular duck. But in all my visits, I liked everything else better: spicy shrimp, bullfrog's legs on a stick, fried chunks of leftover duck junk (bones, meat scraps, neck bits). So far, my favourite discovery on up-north bro-trips (thanks to <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/restaurant-reviews/the-globes-10-best-places-for-chinese-food-in-toronto-hint-go-north/article9237179/?page=all" target="_blank">Chris Nuttall-Smith's Chinese list</a>). They take reservations for large groups, but even so expect a wait and it pays to be pushy at the door.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://www.grandelectricbar.com/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Grand Electric</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;(LATE NIGHT)</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">1330 Queen St. W.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">no reservations <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Really loud. But the music is good.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Tacos and bourbon and hip-hop. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yQH-GAFXOwY/U1143nEVJ6I/AAAAAAAAB88/l06Bhj5UJtU/s1600/IMG_8534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yQH-GAFXOwY/U1143nEVJ6I/AAAAAAAAB88/l06Bhj5UJtU/s1600/IMG_8534.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="https://twitter.com/ElectricMudBBQ"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Electric MudBBQ</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;(LATE NIGHT)</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">5 Brock Ave.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">no reservations</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Really loud. BBQ and bourbon and classic rock.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://lacarnita.com/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">La Carnita</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">501 College St.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">416-964-1555</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">More tacos. Plus reservations.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><a href="http://woodlottoronto.com/" target="_blank">Woodlot</a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">293 Palmerston Ave.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">647-34206307<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Big, yet romantic room anchored by a wood-burning oven. Heavy food.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://guu-izakaya.com/toronto/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Guu</span></a><a href="http://guu-izakaya.com/toronto/"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Izakaya</span></a>(LATE NIGHT)<span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">398 Church St.<br />416-977-0999</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">559 Bloor St. W.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Soy sauce and mayonnaise and beer. I mean, that’s what to expect from an Izakaya. Loud room. Loud food.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://www.theharbordroom.com/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The Harbord Room</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">89 Harbord St.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">(416) 962-8989</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Gorgeous room. Cocktails and food always stay classy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /><a href="http://thrandco.com/" target="_blank">THR &amp; Co.</a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">97 Harbord St.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">647-748-7199<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">We get it, Harbord Room, you don’t want a name that will distract diner’s expectations. But an abbreviation for your street name restaurant next door? You know there are other good words in the English language. Still, lovely food in a beautiful space.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://hopgoodsfoodliner.com/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Hopgood’s Foodliner</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">325 Roncesvalles Ave.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">416-533-2723</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Ostensibly east coast food. But really it’s just the sumptuous cooking of Geoff Hopgood with a lean toward his maritime roots.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://geraldinetoronto.com/" target="_blank">Geraldine</a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">1564 Queen St. W.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">647-352-8815<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">Classy cocktails and seafood. The drinks are excellent. And they do a weird thing where all the deuces are positioned with the chairs against the wall, so you watch everyone who comes in. Odd, but everyone was dressed for a fashion show anyways, so it worked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://pizzerialibretto.com/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Pizzeria Libretto</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">221 Ossington Ave</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">(416) 532-8000</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">At night it is crazy busy. But they make a great pizza.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://www.pizzeriaviamercanti.ca/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Pizzeria Via Mercanti</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">188 Augusta Ave.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">647-343-6647</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Pretty identical pizza to Libretto, except uncool room and they take reservations and have weirdo service with middle-aged drunk people instead of loud kids.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://edulisrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">Edulis</a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">169 Niagara St.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">416-703-4222<br />Sometimes this feels like the last restaurant in Toronto for a quiet, romantic dinner, where the chef impresses you without showing off. They take reservations for brunch too, if you can believe it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://hudsonkitchen.com/" target="_blank">Hudson Kitchen</a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">800 Dundas St. W.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">416-644-8839<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">Opposite of Edulis. Kitchen definitely aiming to impress with like 15 things on every dish. But they get there, with thoughtfully crafted plates and execution.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://thecountygeneral.ca/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">County General</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">936 Queen St. W.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">416-531-4447</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Brunch done well. Good bourbon selection.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">They’ve got an east side location as well: http://thecountygeneral.ca/cocktail<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://www.rodneysoysterhouse.com/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Rodney’s</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">469 King St. West</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">(416) 363-8105</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Oysters.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="https://twitter.com/TO_ODDSEOULS"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">OddSeoul</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">90 Ossington Ave.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">no reservations</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Greasy mashup of Korean and American food (poutine, cheesesteaks), Grand Electric and Mission Chinese. Loud (maybe the loudest), fast, powerfully flavoured and satisfying.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://416snackbar.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">416 Snack Bar</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;(LATE NIGHT)</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">181 Bathurst St.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">More a bar than a restaurant. But with delicious little treats. No utensils. Loud.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Momofukus: see below for Shoto</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://momofuku.com/toronto/noodle-bar-to/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Noodle Bar</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">190 University Ave.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">647-253-8000</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Momofuku-style food in an opulent setting provided by the difference between our two cities’ real estate values. Noodle Bar is quick, no-reservations food. I like it for breakfast or lunch. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://momofuku.com/toronto/daisho/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Daisho</span></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Daisho is pretty much THE place I go with groups, for their large-format meals (cuts out discussion about what to order, how to split bill) and ease of booking.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://porzia.ca/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Porzia</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">1314</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Queen St. E.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">647-342-5776</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Tastefully realized Italian food in Parkdale. Don’t sleep on the tripe, even if you think you don’t like tripe.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://valdezrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">Valdez</a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">606 King St. W.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">416-363-8388<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">The King West clubby vibe is a turn off. But the big-flavoured Latin cooking is spot-on. And I love that the menu states: “We cannot guarantee that your food hasn’t come in contact with cilantro.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://farmhousetavern.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Farmhouse Tavern</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">1627 Dundas St. W.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">416-561-9114<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">Sort of a lil’ Spotted Pig tucked into Toronto’s mysterious Junction area. Had a great burger and steak. Missed ordering the duck platter in advance. But saw one coming out of the kitchen and wanted our table to fight the other table for it.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iudRaAMQGkg/U114wRwzt4I/AAAAAAAAB8Q/b6-ocOQWY_8/s1600/IMG_5453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iudRaAMQGkg/U114wRwzt4I/AAAAAAAAB8Q/b6-ocOQWY_8/s1600/IMG_5453.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://theblackhoof.com/food/"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The Hoofs:</span></b></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;(LATE NIGHT)<br />No reservations<br />My fave.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><a href="http://theblackhoof.com/" target="_blank">The Black Hoof&nbsp;</a></span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">928 Dundas St. West</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><a href="http://rhumcorner.com/" target="_blank">Rhum Corner</a></span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">926 Dundas St. W.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Still my favourite. Charcuterie, wine and small, clever dishes (tripe nachos, horse tartare with salt &amp; vinegar sunchoke chips, foie &amp; waffles) at the Hoof. Haitian rice and beans next door, with rum by the bottle and Roland playing DJ. Cocktails across the street (also, if both restaurants are packed and you’re hungry, get the duck wings at the cocktail bar).</span></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">HIGH</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://www.jacobssteakhouse.com/" target="_blank">Jacob’s &amp; Co.</a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">12 Brant St.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">416-366-0200<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">Modern steakhouse with cuts of beef (Australian and Japanese wagyu) you won’t find at the butcher shop, cooked in an 1800-degree oven. They do a burger not on the menu. But you’ve gotta sit at the bar.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><a href="http://momofuku.com/toronto/shoto/" target="_blank">Shoto</a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">190 University Ave.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">Sweet Peaches! I was blown away by the tasting menu. Some of the best cooking I’ve had in this city.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://www.buca.ca/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Buca</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">604 King St. W.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">416-865-1600</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Keeps getting better every time I go. Beautifully lit room. Awkward servers in leather aprons keep getting more idiosyncratic.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://oliverbonacini.com/Canoe"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Canoe</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">66 Wellington St. West</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">54<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;floor</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">(416) 364-0054</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The flagship of the Oliver &amp; Bonacini restaurant empire, Stunning view form the 54<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;floor of the TD tower. Still good.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://notabenerestaurant.com/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Nota Bene</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">180 Queen Street West</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">416-977-6400</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Close to the courthouses and city hall. So lousy with lawyers. But the boudin noir tart makes up for it.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /><a href="http://www.kaiseki.ca/" target="_blank">Hashimoto</a><br />6 Garamond Court<br />416-444-7100<br /><a href="http://www.sushikaji.com/top.html" target="_blank">Sushi Kaji</a><br />860 The Queensway, Etobicoke<br />416-252-2166<br />It's kind of crazy that these places still exist. Every time I think of the intricate kaiseki meals I've had at Kaji and Hashimoto, I'm like, did I dream that? Truly wondrous experiences, for which you have to drive to nowheresville.<br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><a href="http://scaramoucherestaurant.com/">Scaramouche</a></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">1 Benvenuto Pl</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">(416) 961-8011</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Three decades in, still earns its reputation as the place for a special dinner with exquisite ingredients and tablecloths and whatnot.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PTgSceg0Pwk/U1142p3SRTI/AAAAAAAAB80/bym6iyKVmxE/s1600/IMG_9288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PTgSceg0Pwk/U1142p3SRTI/AAAAAAAAB80/bym6iyKVmxE/s1600/IMG_9288.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Salmorejo soup at Patria</div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><a href="http://patriatoronto.com/" target="_blank">Patria</a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">480 King St. W.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">416-0367-0505<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">They must share valet parking with a Botox clinic because everyone in the room has freeze-face. And the oily manager pretended to know me even though we’ve never met. Despite all that, this is a place not to be slept on, because the Spanish food, rich yet restrained is spectacular. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><a href="http://weslodge.com/" target="_blank">Weslodge</a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">480 King St. W.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">647-660-0999<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Same owners as Patria, so it continues the Russian oligarch esthetic of giant ceilings and glittery décor. But again, the food comes correct. The cutting board (Mondays and Sundays) offers a taste of fried hen, steak, pulled pork, ribs and biscuits. And cocktails are good too.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Enjoy your meal. Enjoy Toronto. Remember to tip 20 percent. Get home safely. If you have any questions, ask <a href="https://twitter.com/karonliu" target="_blank">Karon Liu</a>. He knows what's going on.</span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">your fan,</span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Corey Mintz</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">city of Toronto councillor</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Ward 20 Trinity Spadina</span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J7DlLLW1kDc/U115FzpVqKI/AAAAAAAAB9E/Nnta7XHQqcM/s1600/IMG_7968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J7DlLLW1kDc/U115FzpVqKI/AAAAAAAAB9E/Nnta7XHQqcM/s1600/IMG_7968.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Never put a burger in your eye. Even a Stockyards burger. photo by Tom Davis/Corey Mintz</div></div>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-26496546017287460642014-04-28T09:45:00.001-04:002014-04-29T16:05:51.328-04:00FED #220: The Prisoners<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: left;">I'm working on a column, ostensibly about the <a href="http://www.johnhoward.ca/" target="_blank">John Howard Society</a> and the ex-prisoners they aid. But the guys they brought over (names changed to protect privacy) for dinner had so much of interest to say about jail and prison, it's a tough call to decide what to include. And my fifth draft is still a stubborn 1200 words. Here are some outtakes. Warning: LOTTA BUTT STUFF.</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-21e9AXezDG0/U15ZX8LvjeI/AAAAAAAAB90/OxIeRRRk1yM/s1600/les-demons-de-la-liberte-brute-force-22-09-1948-30-06-1947-18-g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-21e9AXezDG0/U15ZX8LvjeI/AAAAAAAAB90/OxIeRRRk1yM/s1600/les-demons-de-la-liberte-brute-force-22-09-1948-30-06-1947-18-g.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b>BEST JAIL</b></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">PHIL</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The Don Jail, in my regard, out of all the provincial institutes, is the best place to do time.</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"> The guards, say you’re smoking a little weed in the back. If you’ve got the range running properly and there’s no nonsense going on, no young punks bullying the old people for their juggups (snacks) and stuff, they’re not going to come break your balls over it. Whereas in the east and west, they smell something, you know the next morning what’s coming. They’re coming at six in the morning, strip-searching and their checking every orifice. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">CHRIS<br />What’s nice about the Don Jail …<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">RHODES<br />You know it’s gone, right?<br />CHRIS<br />What was nice about the Don Jail, is the staff there. Out of all the institutions, Maplehurst, Toronto East, Toronto West, Penetanguishene, the Don Jail staff were the best staff to deal with. They actually treated people like they were human. There were staff at the Don Jail that would sit down and play a checkers game with an inmate. In the other institutions they are more aggressive.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AjCXO8_crZ0/U15ZWCF8Z_I/AAAAAAAAB9U/orBWzqcFVlE/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AjCXO8_crZ0/U15ZWCF8Z_I/AAAAAAAAB9U/orBWzqcFVlE/s1600/02.jpg" height="470" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><b>JUVIE</b></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">PHIL</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">No one’s born a career criminal. Jail turns them into a career criminal. I was twelve years-old when I went to open custody for the first time. I wasn’t a criminal then. But all the people I met and the experiences I had, just opened windows and showed me that I didn’t have to go to work from nine to five. I can do that from 11 to 12. Sooner or later it catches up to you.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">CHRIS<br />It does. There’s 5 percent that never got caught. You never hear about those guys. Some guys never get caught.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Young guys who go to jail, they don’t know about an employment agency, they don’t know about a shelter. And no one is teaching them.</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"> And because of their ignorance, they don’t want to learn. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><!--EndFragment--><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">PHIL<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">When I did my first bit in Juvie, they bring you into a big cafeteria. You can go for seconds, you can have chocolate milk. I was like, I don’t want to ever go home. It was great. It was like a summer camp for kids that couldn’t afford to go to summer camp. It wasn’t jail.</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"> And I think that’s a big part of the problem with the system. They’ve got it so easy in Juvie that they don’t know what to expect when they hit the big leagues. Juvie’s a joke. I did five years of my life in Juvie. You can get whatever you want whenever you want. You can talk to young female staff. It’s not jail. And it’s not teaching them that you have to pay for what you do. It’s not showing them consequences for their actions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0gl82FdyPZA/U15ZXS61kZI/AAAAAAAAB9s/WutPg_xfPdg/s1600/bruteforcest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0gl82FdyPZA/U15ZXS61kZI/AAAAAAAAB9s/WutPg_xfPdg/s1600/bruteforcest.jpg" height="526" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><b>PRISON DRUGS</b></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">PHIL<br />If you want to go in there and be a hardass and spend all your time in solitary confinement, because you want a reputation of being a tough guy or a dope slanger and controlling all the weed to the institution or other institutions, then it’s going to be a hard go. Because you might get that money and reputation. But at the same time, you’re going to be constantly looking over your back, trying to be slick, trying to pay people to stick packages up their ass and hide them for you. If you just go in there and do your time and focus on the positive you can get out of it, it’s just like being locked in your house without all the amenities, and you can’t leave until you’re told. Maybe I’m weird because I started young and wasted a lot of time in it, but jail in Canada’s not that bad. Even the federal system. There’s a big difference when you cross that border. I’ve been twice. There’s a big difference in environment and how things happen. Over here, all the stuff you see in the movies about sexual assault and rape, it does happen. But it’s mostly<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>voluntary. It’s not forced on you. Guys ain’t gang-raping guys in the shower all the time. In the states, that shit’s a regular thing.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">KELLEN</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">That’s a whole other topic, the issue of men having sex with men, is a whole other conversation about health care and harm reduction and …<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">PHIL<br />They give out condoms …<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">KELLEN<br />Yes, but … you have to return them when you’re done with them. And you only get up to two at a time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">What if it’s a long weekend?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">PHIL<br />So you can’t use it for a package. But you can get Saran wrap.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">KELLEN<br />So they can make sure what you’ve done with them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ <br />So do you have to clean it first?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">KELLEN<br />I don’t know. But then it’s still a misconduct. So technically that can be an institutional charge.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">CHRIS<br />If someone is on the range and he’s threatened and he wants to leave, he goes to the nurse and asks for a condom. If he’s gonna get beat up he goes to the nurse, ‘Can I have a condom?’ And they take him away. Not always. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">PHIL<br />It depends on the guard. Some guys will throw your ass back in if they think you’re just trying to be a punk and get off the range.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">KELLEN<br />Healthcare issues like Hep C is a huge issue. Not just with men having sex with men. people sharing nail clippers and razors and staple tattoos.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">CHRIS<br />They sterilize them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">KELLEN<br />But now there’s evidence that bleach doesn’t necessarily kill HIV. And there’s evidence of people watering down the bleach inside, people taking their meth and vomiting it up and straining it and selling it. Methadone.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />Doesn’t your body digest it?<br />KELLEN<br />Not if you throw it up fast enough. So now they make you stay for half an hour.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">CHRIS<br />They go get their methadone. They come back, have a sock ready. They puke in the sock, strain it out and then they sell it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />And is the majority of it coming in through the guards?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">PHIL<br />It’s a mixture. People turn themselves in, bring in packages, lawyers …<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">CHRIS<br />Lot of inmates that come in for short sentences. Guy breaks some glass, waits for cops to come arrest him. Well he just pushed something up his anus. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />It’s worth the charge?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">PHIL<br />For the amount of money you make?<br />MINTZ<br />I don’t know what kind of money it is.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">PHIL<br />If you sold it in fifty bags you can make three to four thousand minimum of an ounce if you had good weed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />Wait, an ounce broken down into what?<br />PHIL<br />Fifty bags. Which is realistically half a gram. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />And what are they selling for?<br />PHIL<br />Half a gram of weed, fifty dollars.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />That’s a steep markup. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">PHIL<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">That’s what I’m saying. You can make five grand off an ounce of weed. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">KELLEN<br />A factory cigarette is 25 dollars.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">PHIL<br />A point of heroin’s a hundred dollars. So you can make a thousand dollars off a gram of heroin. And realistically, you’re only getting a half a point for a point. So you’re making two grand. And if you’re cutting it you’re making three grand.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />How much is a point?<br />PHIL<br />A tenth of a gram.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />I don’t know what the street price of heroin is.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">PHIL<br />Now it’s low, $150 a gram.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">KELLEN<br />Everything has a value.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">PHIL<br />Porno mag goes for a fortune in there.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />Ok. So I understand, the price of everything is times 10 or 100. But the cost of being arrested and having a charge or conviction, how is it worth it?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">PHIL<br />Most guys who get themselves in, to bring those packages in, they’re not doing it willingly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BULLOCH<br />You’re my drug dealer, I owe you money. My drug dealer’s inside. You’re taking this in. you owe me.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />Thank you for explaining.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">PHIL<br />Some just have nowhere to stay for the winter. With their welfare check, they’ll buy as much drugs as they can, they’ll do something stupid and go to jail for the winter. But most of them are being told, ‘You’re bringing this in. so and so’s going to meet you at this court house. Your lawyer already knows the deal. You’re there or you’re shot tomorrow. And they’ll just come in like a good little bitch.<o:p></o:p></span></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>863</o:Words> <o:Characters>4922</o:Characters> <o:Company>Toronto Star</o:Company> <o:Lines>41</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>9</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>6044</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <!--EndFragment--><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />Ok. That makes more sense.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b>HOMELESSNESS</b></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">KELLEN<br />34% of people coming out of prison are homeless.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">PHIL<br />Getting out, sometimes you don’t want to get out. I was in the Don Jail for a few years. It was a long trial. On my release day I actually asked the COs to allow me to stay till after dinner and leave in the morning. I got used to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">CHRIS</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">let’s say someone goes to court and they’ve been found not guilty, charges are dropped, whatever</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">. You’re free to go.&nbsp;But you’ve just been in jail for three to four months, maybe a year. You lost everything. You walk out, you don’t even have bus fair.&nbsp;If you don’t have anywhere to go, you still need busfare to go somewhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">BULLOCH<br />You see guys getting out of jail in the winter time, showing up in a pair of shorts and sandals, just getting released from old city hall. They have to walk across town in minus 30 weather, to get to someplace where they can get warm and get some clothing.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">CHRIS<br />The Don Jail would help you, find something for you.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G9hGktgkOno/U15aeKhzEmI/AAAAAAAAB-E/1uw-cDBTNMU/s1600/06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G9hGktgkOno/U15aeKhzEmI/AAAAAAAAB-E/1uw-cDBTNMU/s1600/06.jpg" height="470" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">All stills are from Jules Dassin's <a href="http://www.criterion.com/films/820-brute-force" target="_blank">Brute Force</a>. Not a great movie. But an early Hollywood look at the unpleasant condition of prison life. Also Burt Lancaster doing some classic Lancastering.</div><o:p></o:p><br /><div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></div>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-31915333994334647902014-03-26T14:34:00.002-04:002014-03-27T14:40:06.778-04:00FED #214: The Oxford Critic<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K1qTQ3Se0Go/UzMXPB8Z_uI/AAAAAAAAB5Y/0nmQ1f2clkQ/s1600/LO_coron04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K1qTQ3Se0Go/UzMXPB8Z_uI/AAAAAAAAB5Y/0nmQ1f2clkQ/s1600/LO_coron04.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">photo by <a href="https://twitter.com/LucasOleniuk" target="_blank">Lucas Oleniuk</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>You couldn't ask for a better <a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2014/03/27/giles_coren_feeds_on_our_delicate_canadian_sensibilities_also_cheeseburgers.html" target="_blank">dinner guest than Giles Coren</a>. The Times of London restaurant critic (<a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/03/19/mayor_rob_ford_silent_about_new_documents.html" target="_blank">and Rob Ford's hot dog date)</a> is funny and engaging, managing to be brutally honest while also full of it.<br /><br />Though it's an old story, I brought up the subject of his <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/jul/23/mediamonkey" target="_blank">2008 leaked email to copy editors</a>, as it relates to class and the narcissism of writers and the writer/editor relationship. My belief is that yes, sometimes editors can bungle writing and it's frustrating. But more times than not they save it. In my case, as a functional idiot, they often save me from my worst tendencies. Coren sees it differently.<br /><br />I'm never looking for an argument around the dinner table. But sometimes, between clever people, it's good sport. Here then is five minutes of conversation (from a fun dinner that was about three and a half hours), nearly unedited. In the column it takes up maybe two paragraphs.<br /><br />LIU is <a href="https://twitter.com/karonliu" target="_blank">Karon Liu</a> of The Grid and TAYLOR is <a href="http://www.thestar.com/authors.taylor_lesley.html" target="_blank">Lesley Ciarula Taylor</a> of the Star.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_UUD1g326Fg/UzMXTiMVQWI/AAAAAAAAB5g/bsU9RYTgzkA/s1600/IMG_2214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_UUD1g326Fg/UzMXTiMVQWI/AAAAAAAAB5g/bsU9RYTgzkA/s1600/IMG_2214.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Shrink/narcissism<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<o:p></o:p></span></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>57</o:Words> <o:Characters>330</o:Characters> <o:Company>Toronto Star</o:Company> <o:Lines>2</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>405</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--><!--EndFragment--><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">70 percent of the restaurants that I go to are not interesting. And you have to pay to read my reviews. I’m sure none of you have. But the way that I write my reviews is they’re just stories about life and things and shit. And then the restaurant comes in and the amount of space the restaurant occupies in my very long 1600 words, depends on how interesting it was. And most restaurants are boring.&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">When people use narcissism, sometimes they’re not absolutely certain what it is. I would say I’m a narcissist in the strictest sense. And what Narcissus did was fall in love, not with himself but with his reflection.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LIU<br />Like that? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">points to my portrait.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<br />I’m kind of in love with that. That’s in the wank bank. It’s going to come out later at three o’clock in the morning, after the number of times I’ve typed out “french maid anal” and got nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />That’s what it’s there for. So what is the definition of narcissism?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">It’s being in love with your own reflection. And my analyst thought that this was a distinction. I stopped drinking. I stopped seeing her because I stopped drinking and felt that I’d solved the problem. And then when she fucked off I had a drink and everything was fine. Alcohol was truer to me for longer than my analyst was.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i2XC7zK0-pg/UzMXppYkPWI/AAAAAAAAB50/HsATZF76i9s/s1600/li-fed-march29_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i2XC7zK0-pg/UzMXppYkPWI/AAAAAAAAB50/HsATZF76i9s/s1600/li-fed-march29_005.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">photo by Joseph Stephen</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The email<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">That’s an email that I sent to a colleague. People misunderstand it. I don’t really care what people think. That’s a thing that he leaked because he was angry to be treated like that. They fucked with my copy and they don’t care as much as I do. And it lives forever on the internet. I never understood why anyone would change what I’d written without asking me. I’m a bit more humble in TV.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />If it’s “don’t ever change a word” without asking me, what if there’s not enough staff?<br />COREN<br />there’s just not going to be anybody there who’s, in my mind, who’s going to be better at it than me. When I started there were loads of subeditors. They’ve been sort of phased out by spellcheck. And it’s a shame. Subetitors have an important role. They used to be a link between …<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">DOYLE<br />What constitutes a subeditor?<br />TAYLOR<br />A copyeditor.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<br />It was once upon a time, just when I started, between the guys who type it on the piece of paper and the guys who set it in hot metal. And before it gets set in hot metal it has to be corrected and justified. That was gradually dying out. There was a social process. The working classes, the big men with the big forearms who fucking stamped it in hot metal. There were the lower-middle schlubs who knew the dictionary and had little visors and gloves to protect them from the ink. And then there were the educated guys who actually wrote the prose. They existed in this chain. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">TAYLOR<br />That’s very interesting. I worked at newspapers in England. And I have friends on Fleet Street, a generation in front of you. do you really see subeditors as a class lower than writers?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<br />They see it like that. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">TAYLOR<br />No they don’t. not the ones I knew. That’s astonishing that you would say that. the subeditors I knew, as many of them had gone to oxford and Cambridge as you have. They were certainly not a lower class. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<br />The subeditors took a pride in the work that they had. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">TAYLOR<br />But they certainly weren’t a lower class than the writers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<br />No. they were just paid less and they got fired more often. They were exploited.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">TAYLOR<br />But you’ve described them as little men with visors and there were the upper classes who wrote.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<br />That’s how it always divided. The writers on Fleet Street were public school alcoholics.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">TAYLOR<br />And so were the subeditors.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<br />Not at the Times. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">TAYLOR<br />Well I knew Frank Jones at the Times. But he was before your time. And Harry Coen. Did you know him?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<br />I’m surprised that you think that the people who are paid less and not given their own offices, would be considered equal. Those were terrible times when Britain was a class-ridden society.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">TAYLOR<br />It still is.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<br />Yeah, well, of course it … nnnnnnn … yeah, I suppose it still is<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">But in all jobs, there are the people who work harder and paid less. And the subs worked harder and paid less. The subs clocked in and clocked out and they took a straightforward 40,000 pounds salary, without really any benefits. They didn’t get a company car. And if they weren’t at their desk they got fired. And the writers were paid twice as much and spent most of their time at lunch. That was the system that operated when I got there. It’s not a good thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Digression about tabloids versus broadsheets</span></i><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<br />It’s just a job for … subediting. That’s just a mechanical job. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">TAYLOR<br />It’s not a mechanical job at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<br />Their job is just to fuck up decent copy. To take the jokes out and fuck everything up. That’s why we got rid of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">TAYLOR<br />A bad subeditor does that.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jDLy1g_kh0M/UzMXoH7cL3I/AAAAAAAAB5w/kU2mex5XbQI/s1600/li-fed-march29_008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jDLy1g_kh0M/UzMXoH7cL3I/AAAAAAAAB5w/kU2mex5XbQI/s1600/li-fed-march29_008.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">photo by Joseph Stephen</div><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<br />Why don’t we have them anymore, then? We’ve got rid of subeditors because we don’t need them. Because they were never necessary. They were just fetchers and gophers. We got rid of them like we got rid of postmen. They had a job, which as been superannuated by technology. For me that’s the definition of … they’re like coal miners. We turn out not to need them after all. Subeditors were kept alive by the union. Which is fine. I think unionization of labour is a great thing. And it’s great that people of a middling education can have a role to play in newspapers. But … <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">TAYLOR<br />A lot of journalists, a lot of writers, have been gotten rid of as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<br />Well reporters have been cut back on, terribly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">TAYLOR<br />Are reporters not necessary?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<br /><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">breathes in, blows it out loudly. </i>Well obviously not. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">TAYLOR<br />So to you, the only people that are necessary are the media personalities like you?<br />COREN<br />Oh, they’re completely useless.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">TAYLOR<br />So then what’s necessary.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">He sighs.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">You’re saying that the reporters who’ve been gotten rid of, like the subeditors, all of them, poor lower class schlubs who didn’t go to Oxbridge …<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<br />Some of them went to Oxbridge. They didn’t do very well.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">TAYLOR<br />Maybe they were scholarship students.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<br />Well they’d have been brilliant. The Oxford kids who end up subs are usually the children of posh families who do drugs. And they addle their brains and have to just correct spelling.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />Is there any difference between the situation in London and the situation here, where every year, every major publication decides to cut 20 percent of its labour? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<br />Newspapers are just dying. So they cut the useless people first. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">TAYLOR<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">I’ve been both a reporter and a subeditor and a senior editor. So I know all the sides of it. and I’ve had people change my copy and make it worse. And I agree with you that nobody should change copy unless they ask you.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<br />I just mean nobody should change my copy. I don’t give a fuck about everybody else’s copy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">TAYLOR<br />Your copy doesn’t need the kind of subediting that a court story would have. Because you’re writing about yourself. And you’re not going to get that wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">I’d love to still live in a world where the media didn’t need people like me. A world in which people like me rise to the top of the media is a fucked world, with the wrong values. I would love to live in the 1950s where someone like me would have been in the civil service. And the newspapers would’ve been done by proper people doing proper reporting. All I ever did was just talk a lot of shit and get promoted. That particular clash with that particular subeditor, which has angered subeditors all over the world, was just about me having one joke spoiled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-olWSLfhr41w/UzMXlL2tuaI/AAAAAAAAB5o/euokmla8PF8/s1600/li-fed-march29_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-olWSLfhr41w/UzMXlL2tuaI/AAAAAAAAB5o/euokmla8PF8/s1600/li-fed-march29_004.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">photo by Joseph Stephen</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">TAYLOR<br />That didn’t anger me. You made a very good point. But would you write that letter today?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<br />Well, if subeditors were gentlemen, they wouldn’t leak their correspondence. So then I would. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />That was the only downside?<br />COREN<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Yeah. When I tweeted to fucking kill my next door neighbour’s 12 year-old son, that was a mistake.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">TAYLOR<br />It’s so sad that your whole Wikipedia entry is this trivial stuff.</span></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>1136</o:Words> <o:Characters>6478</o:Characters> <o:Company>Toronto Star</o:Company> <o:Lines>53</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>12</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>7955</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <!--EndFragment--><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COREN<br />That’s one of the things I was afraid of, doing TV in Canada and America, because the work I actually do, day in and out, people have to pay for. And nobody pays for fucking anything anymore. People read what they can read for free. And what they can read for free is my old tweets and leaked emails.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><b><i><a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2014/03/27/giles_coren_feeds_on_our_delicate_canadian_sensibilities_also_cheeseburgers.html" target="_blank">full column here ...</a></i></b></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jXA0dP61t80/UzMX3Nnd13I/AAAAAAAAB6I/pS9_mKRuxFA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-03-26+at+1.29.04+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jXA0dP61t80/UzMX3Nnd13I/AAAAAAAAB6I/pS9_mKRuxFA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-03-26+at+1.29.04+PM.png" height="358" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2014/03/27/giles_coren_feeds_on_our_delicate_canadian_sensibilities_also_cheeseburgers.html" target="_blank">WE MADE A CHEESEBURGER WITH MY COUSIN LOU</a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span></div>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-90819377514855636122014-03-20T15:20:00.001-04:002014-03-20T16:15:54.442-04:00FED #213: The Police Investigator<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JO-1yOpxHjQ/Uys-CyeHK8I/AAAAAAAAB40/vs9yzwqctwA/s1600/1891074_10153911340165594_1324199360_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JO-1yOpxHjQ/Uys-CyeHK8I/AAAAAAAAB40/vs9yzwqctwA/s1600/1891074_10153911340165594_1324199360_n.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">FED #213 SIU<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Lotta material left on the table for the <a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2014/03/20/dining_on_doughnuts_with_expolice_watchdog_ian_scott.html" target="_blank">SIU</a> and the <a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2014/03/14/feeding_kale_salad_to_torontos_finest_hold_the_small_talk.html" target="_blank">Police College columns</a>. Here is some of the dialogue from these two dinners, barely edited (rather than paste together sections where we covered similar conversations), for your consumption.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">At the table:<br /></span></b><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><b>Ian Scott, former Unit Director SIU<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><b><a href="https://twitter.com/jpags" target="_blank">JenniferPagliaro</a>, reporter, Toronto Star<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><b><a href="https://twitter.com/DesmondCole" target="_blank">Desmond Cole</a>, activist<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><b><a href="https://twitter.com/KaleighRogers" target="_blank">KaleighRogers</a>, reporter, freelance<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><b><a href="https://twitter.com/darrenbaptiste" target="_blank">DarrenBaptiste</a>, developer of <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/01/28/cop_watch_app_records_policecitizen_interactions.html" target="_blank">Cop Watch Toronto app </a><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />If the Yatim shooting hadn’t been seen by hundreds of thousands of people, would we have seen the swiftness of charges that we did?<br /><br />SCOTT<br />I’d like to think it wouldn’t have made a whole lot of difference, because next time you’re on a streetcar, look around at the videos inside the streetcar. There’s a whole series of videos the public hasn’t seen yet. Which tell, unfortunately, a more graphic story than the ones from the outside. I like to think I would have made the decision based solely on the evidence that I saw. Everything is disturbing about that case. But the TTC videos are more graphic. It’s going before the court of inquiry before the spring.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Interrupted by asking if I make my own pasta, what kind of mushrooms are in the mix.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fvAeb4eMFe4/Uys9NIzJAaI/AAAAAAAAB4E/7PlHjLynZLQ/s1600/IMG_2024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fvAeb4eMFe4/Uys9NIzJAaI/AAAAAAAAB4E/7PlHjLynZLQ/s1600/IMG_2024.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">To some degree it’s the compelling evidence of video. It doesn’t require interviewing a million witnesses and analyzing them and trying to assess whether the people are reliable or credible. The usual problems that we used to have in so many cases.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">ROGERS<br />Is it only a good thing then? There’s no down side?<br />SCOTT<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">In my view it’s a good thing. If the ultimate objective is to search for the truth, I can’t think of a better vehicle than video. Video doesn’t tell you a hundred percent of the story all the time. But that’s true of any evidence. A still photo has limitations. Post mortem reports have limitations. Witness statements have a million limitations. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BAPTISTE<br />That whole case in particular. There’s going to be hell to pay if there’s no conviction.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">SCOTT<br />I don’t have a clue how the defense is going to be in this case. Theoretically, juries are not supposed to pre-judge things. That’s the reason why, in the jury selection, you’ll have a lot of questions being asked in this case. “Based upon the prior publicity, have you already formed an opinions as to the guilt or innocence of the accused?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">COLE estimates that he’s been stopped by police about 60 times in his life. I have been stopped by police, and this is an estimate because I haven’t been keeping track, but about zero times. No. One time. Because we were loitering at Richmond and John at 1 a.m. (turns out we were first in line for a Star War).<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VafIvMXTgRY/Uys9SGGL5FI/AAAAAAAAB4c/UxauWQCLj28/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-03-20+at+1.42.53+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VafIvMXTgRY/Uys9SGGL5FI/AAAAAAAAB4c/UxauWQCLj28/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-03-20+at+1.42.53+PM.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><i>This was a fun night. Which makes this photo (by Joseph Stephen) strange, as opposed to the photo from the police dinner, which looks like we were having fun, which we were not. Though some of that is a matter of the editor's decision (or the Pagemaster's decision)</i></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">After five years, his contract is up and he’s done. Most people don’t serve the full five years</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">SCOTT<br />I was the only one stupid enough to stay around. You make a lot of enemies there. It’s a lot of aggravation every day. I didn’t make a lot of friends there. One of the reasons I didn’t want to stay more than five years.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">In case of shooting, witness officers write up their notes. Duty inspector at headquarters calls SIU. Subject officer (shooter) is not compelled to give statement to SIU investigator, unlike witness officers. </span></i><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">At the end of the day the police basically hate me. But I feel a great deal of sympathy for people who are run at with knives. It’s not ideal that people die in those cases. But I saw a lot of cases where police officers were grievously injured, because they were attacked with knives, axes and hatchets. After the fact it’s easy to say ‘maybe there was another alternative’. But it’s not the way things get analyzed in the dynamics of the moment. My personal view is I give police officers the benefit of the doubt in these situations where I’m not personally there and there’s somebody coming at you with a knife. I feel a degree of sympathy for them. On the other hand, I feel no sympathy for Forcilo in the situation of Sammy Yatim. I mean I just didn’t see it as ratcheted up to the degree where he had to respond in any reasonable way, even by extending the parameters as far as you could.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Value of video evidence<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">SCOTT<br />Your average complaint with the OIPRD is he said he said. You can’t do anything with it. That goes back to the beauty of video. It breathes life into co</span><span style="text-align: center;">mplaints that would be going nowhere otherwise.</span></div><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">At the end of the day it’s so hard to rely on the statement of one person. You’re always pointless going to court on the statement of one witness. You’re almost wasting your time. You need more. A judge needs to find beyond a reasonable doubt.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">I think the most important thing about the job is to maintain some public confidence in the investigations. And I thought the most important thing I did there was the press releases in cases where we didn’t lay charges. To try to explain to the public why we didn’t. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">That’s the reason it exists. It’s to try to say that there’s an independent agency that will do thorough and transparent investigation s that the public will have confidence in. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Lapel cams<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">SCOTT<br />It should happen. The studies indicate that it drops public complaints about police and it’ll make any investigator do a better job. It’s the most fundamental form of accountability. And there are these strange apps coming up <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">motions to Darren </i>that are going to show the police doing this stuff anyway. They should get ahead of the game and say we want to be accountable. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>821</o:Words> <o:Characters>4681</o:Characters> <o:Company>Toronto Star</o:Company> <o:Lines>39</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>9</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>5748</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <!--EndFragment--><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BAPTISTE<br />Our best shot for getting lapel cameras is for a high profile thing to happen where an officer is totally exonerated and vindicated because of the video evidence. Then we’re gonna see a push from McCormick and the association. And that’s gonna push the hand of the TPS brass.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><b><i><a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2014/03/20/dining_on_doughnuts_with_expolice_watchdog_ian_scott.html" target="_blank">full column here ...</a></i></b></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><b>Hey, I made donuts. Special shout-out to FOTC Mary Wood for the recipe and FIRL Paola Loriggio for appearing in the video.</b></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iVOJn_E36Ns/Uys9HPh7uTI/AAAAAAAAB3w/jpXXH5eXdjE/s1600/IMG_1733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iVOJn_E36Ns/Uys9HPh7uTI/AAAAAAAAB3w/jpXXH5eXdjE/s1600/IMG_1733.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nJy2cm-GulU/Uys9GyHjNNI/AAAAAAAAB3s/VC5JntJRHYg/s1600/IMG_1743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nJy2cm-GulU/Uys9GyHjNNI/AAAAAAAAB3s/VC5JntJRHYg/s1600/IMG_1743.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GKjqKd2lXos/Uys9HGwSSlI/AAAAAAAAB30/3-DV8XAxAho/s1600/IMG_1760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GKjqKd2lXos/Uys9HGwSSlI/AAAAAAAAB30/3-DV8XAxAho/s1600/IMG_1760.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UZdBrG-xLHo/Uys9PKTE8JI/AAAAAAAAB4U/NvhAtdaWko0/s1600/IMG_2030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UZdBrG-xLHo/Uys9PKTE8JI/AAAAAAAAB4U/NvhAtdaWko0/s1600/IMG_2030.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xl7pXZODBBc/Uys9OWMJnYI/AAAAAAAAB4M/pdK-YgFbFIw/s1600/IMG_2032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xl7pXZODBBc/Uys9OWMJnYI/AAAAAAAAB4M/pdK-YgFbFIw/s1600/IMG_2032.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iBuHXB58M4g/Uys9S8M4AwI/AAAAAAAAB4k/BMRJCQUIDLA/s1600/IMG_2058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iBuHXB58M4g/Uys9S8M4AwI/AAAAAAAAB4k/BMRJCQUIDLA/s1600/IMG_2058.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C5SRjadTzLI/Uys9VqGeBNI/AAAAAAAAB4s/uMrsFVSjNnc/s1600/IMG_2069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C5SRjadTzLI/Uys9VqGeBNI/AAAAAAAAB4s/uMrsFVSjNnc/s1600/IMG_2069.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-85883762508793931712014-03-20T13:59:00.000-04:002014-03-20T16:15:38.054-04:00FED #212: The Police Academy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k_2atKLgIgc/Uysqkso8F-I/AAAAAAAAB3M/UQmx9mHoDrI/s1600/IMG_2037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k_2atKLgIgc/Uysqkso8F-I/AAAAAAAAB3M/UQmx9mHoDrI/s1600/IMG_2037.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Lotta material left on the table for the <a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2014/03/20/dining_on_doughnuts_with_expolice_watchdog_ian_scott.html" target="_blank">SIU</a> and the <a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2014/03/14/feeding_kale_salad_to_torontos_finest_hold_the_small_talk.html" target="_blank">Police College columns</a>. Here is some of the dialogue from these two dinners, barely edited (rather than paste together sections where we covered similar conversations), for your consumption.</span></b><br /><b><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span></b><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">At the table:<br />Superintendent Peter Lennox (Unit Commander)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Staff inspector Barbara McLane (2<sup>nd</sup>in command)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Staff sergeant Steve Molyneux (training)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Civilian director of HR Anne-Marie Henry<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>32</o:Words> <o:Characters>184</o:Characters> <o:Company>Toronto Star</o:Company> <o:Lines>1</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>225</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <!--EndFragment--><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><a href="https://twitter.com/jayme_poisson" target="_blank">Jayme Poisson, civilian, reporter</a><o:p></o:p></span></b></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br />FED #212 Police Academy<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX promises not to use jargon and speak English. He has a degree in English and history. Do they teach cop speak?</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><!--[endif]--></span></i><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<br />No. It might be part of the culture. We encourage our people to use as plain language as possible. It’s farm more approachable, far more human. My own theory and it’s only a theory; when we give evidence, we do it very formally and we get into a habit of being formal in our speech. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MOLYNEUX<br />We’ve had judges that’ve come out and said, ‘Just be human,’ to try and get rid of that jargon. But you do get accustomed to in when you testify in court. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<br />And even in our reports sometimes we refer to ourselves in the third person. ‘The reporting officer’. But we promise not to do that tonight.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Often reporters and cops are doing the same job, after the same information in the same way. There is a lot of overlap in training, from interviewing techniques, to role-playing, to learning how to ask open questions.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span></i><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<br />A question is one that can’t be properly responded to with a yes or no. That way you’re not leading them. Your questions should not suggest an answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MOLYNEUX<br />For the interview, you’ve got to bring people back. You let them talk. You try not to cut them off. Often they go off on tangents. You just keep bringing them back. <br />LENNOX<br />It’s not just suspects. It’s also victims and witnesses. And we’ve got to make sure that what we’re getting from them is objective and not led.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MOLYNEUX<br />Probably even more so with victims and witnesses. Because you really need information and they tend to go off on a tangent. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MCLEAN<br />One of the ways we teach interviewing, particularly with child witnesses, is we tape the officers so they’re able to see, right after they’ve finished the questioning, how well they did. Did they ask leading questions?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">POISSON<br />A thing I always had a really big problem with was pausing. You feel the need to want to fill the space with your own words. It’s something I constantly have to remind myself of in an interview. That it’s ok for there to be three seconds.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MOLYNEUX<br />Pausing sometimes is a weird thing. Because people want to talk. So let them talk. And just wait. You’ll say something. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He stares at me and we enjoy a silence.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />That was the only lesson I got, to embrace the dramatic pause.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">A lot of what they do is additional training for experienced officers.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br />LENNOX<br />Over the last couple years it’s been pretty well all senior people coming in because we haven’t been hiring. For example, over the last year our college has been focusing mostly on training for a new information system, new technology that’s been brought in. because police are very much in the information business. We think of it as being in the public order business and the problem solving business and the catching bad guys businesses. We’re very much in the information business. We’ve got a new information system that required a tremendous amount of training that almost consumed the college for the last year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Now we’re starting to hire again. We’ve got 60 people who are cadets in training at the Ontario Police College in Aylmer now after being hired on very short notice by Anne Marie and her people. There are expected to be three more classes over the next year and we’re excited about that as it’s the first time we’ve hired in a while. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">HENRY<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">It’s gonna be three hundred in the year. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MOLYNEUX<br />In addition to the 60.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<br />It is a bunch but then again through attrition we lose about 280 a year. So this won’t even replace that which we’ve lost. Because hiring’s been suspended for a while. Doesn’t make us any less excited. We’re delighted that this has happened.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Som4GWKjVyg/Uysql-mTJCI/AAAAAAAAB3Y/iswgOonZSSc/s1600/IMG_2172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Som4GWKjVyg/Uysql-mTJCI/AAAAAAAAB3Y/iswgOonZSSc/s1600/IMG_2172.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Kale salad with pine nuts</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What were you doing before this?<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><!--[endif]--></i></b><o:p></o:p></span><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<br />This is my 17<sup>th</sup> job. In 34 years. Barb and Steve got on because they’re brave and smart. I got on because I can type quickly on a manual typewriter. I was educating myself to be a high school teacher and I got a summer job with the police and was so impressed with what I saw in 1980 that I ended up joining up as a uniform. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">I’m pensionable. I can leave. I don’t want to. I’m still having too much fun. There’s still too much to do. Two months ago I was a station commander. Now I’m in charge of the Police College. Where else can you go where you can change your career a dozen times without interrupting your pension? There’s so much to do. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MOLYNEUX has been undercover, cadet on a motorcycle, uniform staff sergeant, in plain clothes<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MCLEAN<br />The good thing is, long before you get bored you can move. If you’ve got a good reputation and hard word you can pretty much go anywhere you want. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MOLYNEUX<br />I was a detective for 12 years in the same spot, in Etobicoke. I loved it. 22 division. I got promoted. I was still loving it. My superintendant at the time kept telling me to write. I’m glad that he forced me … his word was encouraged. Mine was forced. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Became a cop in 1984, same year Police Academy came out. Says it’s a coincidence.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hiring factors<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">HENRY<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">We’re looking for competitive individuals. Well educated, community-oriented. We have diversity factors to consider. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br />A major falsehood out there is ‘oh, I did something when I was a kid and they’ll never consider me.’ Truly the most important thing is your integrity. Because you can come in and you may have done this over here, stole a pack of gum and we will know that. Any interaction you’ve had with police, we will have record of that. If you come in and you deny that or you’re not truthful about that interaction, that speaks to your integrity. And that’s paramount over everything. That’s’ our true focus. Because if you don’t have that integrity, we’re going to question everything that you do. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Nutrition and physical fitness component of training<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<br />police work can be brutal if you don’t adopt a healthy lifestyle. That’s why we have nutritionists and two psychologists on staff. Shift work is brutal and the job can be stressful. Everything from proper eating and sleeping patterns to smoking cessation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MOLYNEUX<br />We didn’t have that 30 years ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">30 years ago you couldn’t see one end of the detective office from the cigarette smoke.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-48c4dQJH1YY/Uysqj7oWQ4I/AAAAAAAAB3E/CUoDGHJipMY/s1600/IMG_2044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-48c4dQJH1YY/Uysqj7oWQ4I/AAAAAAAAB3E/CUoDGHJipMY/s1600/IMG_2044.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A version of what I served. Smoked brisket over chick peas and spinach with cotija. Mahi mahi for &nbsp;McLean. This is the same thing the following day, with a piece of arctic char, for my lunch.</div><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Behavioral interview and background investigation.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">HENRY<br />It’s very in depth. We go right back to just after birth.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">We’re essentially looking for people who are going to deliver ethical, unbiased customer service. Our language is focusing much more on customer service now. A broader suite of problem solving methods. We’re looking for people who are going to do that in an ethical and unbiased way. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Police are problem solvers. The different activities that we undertake, and I’m not trying to be cagey or clandestine here, we’re all about solving problems. Bringing order where there’s disorder, bringing peace where there’s conflict. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">In western society we police by consent. We need the consent of the community. There are all sorts of ways that consent can be withdrawn. We want to make sure that we’re taking people on that can enhance rather than reduce the trust the community has in the police. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">“Crime prevention through environmental design”.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">That kind of training is shot through a lot of what we do, eh Barb? We have a number of courses that are aimed at problem solving or things like crime prevention through environmental design. We will go to an area that’s experiencing problems where there are physical reasons. Lighting that needs to be improved, hills that should be bulldozed. Doors that should be used or not used. Increasing visibility of parts of a property from the street. Also every division has a community response unit. They call it the CRU. They dress the same and drive the same cars but their job is to respond to problems identified by the community or to identify them and find longer-term solutions. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Can you become a cop if you have contact cards?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">HENRY<br />You having an exchange with an officer that doesn’t involve arrest, a witness to something, it’s completely irrelevant.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">A contact card does not mean that you’re excluded from service. Not at all. It doesn’t matter. Unless it indicates a behavior that we have a problem with. The fact that you’ve got contact cards on you does not preclude your employment. If you get the opportunity to spread that word please do.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">HENRY<br />It’s truly a misconception.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Pre-training at Toronto Police College<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MOLYNEUX<br />We send them off to Ontario Police College in Aylmer. They spend 12 weeks there then they come back to us and spend another 27 days. We go over service governance, discipline, physical training, drill and report, how to set up the new belt you’ve just received.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />Is this like basic training?<br />LENNOX<br />Very much so.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />But are you screaming like a drill sargeant?<br />MOLYNEUX<br />Yes. There is going to be discipline.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Early is on time. On time is late.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">We are pathologically early. There’s a culture and it starts there.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MCLEAN<br />At the Ontario Police College there are recruits from services across Ontario, not just ours. They represent us. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MOLYNEUX<br />If the superintendant or the inspector or myself walked into a room, they are expected to yell “ROOM” and look straight ahead and be ready until they’re told to be at ease. They’re focused. And you want to start to instill that because they’re going to be handling weapons. You need focus. You need discipline.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MCLEAN<br />Also, if they have pride in how they present themselves, then they are engaged in the professionalism that we require.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<br />We’re a culture where it’s very important to look out for one another. Sometimes in life and death ways. Sometimes in personal wellness ways. We look out for each other. We keep each other safe. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">HENRY<br />We look at it truly as a family.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<br />It doesn’t even have to do with policing. If someone becomes seriously ill, they don’t have enough sick time, everyone in the station will donate time. Literally everybody in a 230 officer station.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Can police culture lead to problems?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MOLYNEUX<br />We’re talking about instilling discipline and focus and trust in the community. It’s not about ‘you guys are going to be tight here and keep your mouths shut’. It’s not about that.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<br />One of the jobs I have is hearing officer. When a police officer gets in trouble the process is tantamount to a court marshal. And I have the adjudicator role, the judge role in that. This is separate. I’ve had a number of people, as an example of the thin blue line, police officers come before me because they’ve been charged with impaired driving, by cops. Arrested by cops. We don’t put up with that even in our own family. When I say look out for each other I am not talking about anything unethical and I’m not talking about anything improper. I’m talking about keeping people safe in street situations and looking out for people under stress or with a difficult family situation. I’m not talking thin blue line. I’m not saying anything’s perfect. Nothing’s perfect. But whether our encouragement to think of themselves as a family and look after each other leads to misconduct, I honestly do not think so.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Ethics &amp; diversity.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<br />When Barb and I approve a lesson plan, part of that course training is identifying where ethics and diversity fit into the lesson. We also have specific ethics programs. I taught an ethics program. Which was essentially ethical decision making. Giving people a thought models that they could use to ensure that the decisions they were making were ethical and would pass scrutiny. Their own scrutiny as well as the scrutiny of governing bodies, courts and supervisors. There’s a huge ethical element to making an arrest.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />How about media training?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<br />The relationship between most cops and the media has changed, very positively, in the time I’ve been around. When I first started out you had to be an inspector to talk to the media. ‘How long is the street going to be closed, officer? I don’t know. You have to talk to the inspector.’ Ridiculous. That has opened up a lot. They don’t get in depth media training. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MOLYNEUX<br />And people were uncomfortable doing it. Because they weren’t sure what they could and could not say. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<br />But every cop is expected to speak to the media on the scene. If there’s not a reason not to speak to the media, why not? How long is the street going to be closed? It’s in everybody’s best interest to have that communicated.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MOLYNEUX<br />You just have to be careful with what you can and can’t say and I think that comes with experience. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">There’s a pretty good amount of mutual respect between media and police with respect to what can or can’t be said. We’re not going to blow a conviction because we said too much to the media. We might be a bit cagey. And that can come across as reticent. Not at all. We’re nervous about messing it up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">How free are cops to tweet?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<br />I have politics but you won’t know about it until I retire. It’s very important to be apolitical. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">POISSON asks a question about the ombudsman and use of force rules, which they straight-up refuse to talk about.</span></i></b></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PTXR7NMpro4/UysqlfAm2DI/AAAAAAAAB3Q/6cno--_7UL4/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-03-20+at+1.45.11+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PTXR7NMpro4/UysqlfAm2DI/AAAAAAAAB3Q/6cno--_7UL4/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-03-20+at+1.45.11+PM.png" height="428" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Having a good photographer (<a href="https://twitter.com/LucasOleniuk" target="_blank">Lucas Oleniuk</a>) means capturing the one second when guests smile.</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The Use of Force Continuum<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<br />I wouldn’t call it combat training. I’d call it defensive tactics. Combat training has rhetoric that I think is inaccurate. We are taught to defend ourselves and other people. that involves empty hand techniques. It involves the force options that we issue our people with. Pepper spray, the expandable baton, the pistol. They’re taught to consider what we call a ‘use of force continuum’, which starts with physical presence, sometimes just being there in your police uniform is enough to do something. And then as things ramp up they’re taught to use, what’s the best language, Steve? Proportional force?<br />MOLYNEUX<br />Proportional.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<br />And the criminal code allows anyone who has the right or the obligation to do something to use the force that is necessary to achieve that purpose. But it also makes everyone criminally responsible for excessive force. Cops are no different. And the use of force continuum is the way we articulate that to the recruits. In a response to ‘this’ type of situation you’re justified in using ‘that’. And then the tools that they’re taught to use is done at the police colleges in a way that’s safe and controlled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MCLEAN<br />One thing we teach them is de-escalation. So when you’re walking into a volatile situation you’re not going to use your use of force options right away. Talking is a tool. We incorporate that into our scenario as well. So they’re not just practicing use of force. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MOLYNEUX<br />Lot of communication. Lot of observation. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MCLEAN<br />Building rapport. Providing options. Those are the types of de-escalation tools we teach.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />What is open hand technique?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Where you don’t have anything in your hand. You’re deflecting it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MOLYNEUX<br />A lot of it comes down to taking control and wrestling and getting a hold of someone.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">But as Barb says the most important thing is the talking. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MOLYNEUX<br />No one wants to ‘get there’. We really don’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Modern recruits<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<br />Our long-term ambition is to reflect the community. Which mean we should have 52.5% women. And we are striving for that. we want the Toronto Police Service to look like the city of Toronto. So we recruit women aggressively. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">HENRY<br />What we’re finding in our new recruits is that it’s not the 20 year olds that are showing up. It’s the folks who’ve gone out, they’ve finished university, they’ve had a little bit of an initial career.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<br />The average age is in the neighbourhood of 28. These are people who have maintained a relationship, who have paid a mortgage, who have handled a job, who have experienced the discipline of that kind of life and it helps in their policing, to do the job in a very human way. Because they’ve got that lever of maturity. About 60% of our people have college or university education.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MOLYNEUX<br />In this last class it was 58 out of 60.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">And you continue to learn. I’ve got 32 years as a police officer. I’m still learning. I will be on my last day.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">What kind of training do police get for dealing with emotionally disturbed persons?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">LENNOX<br />It is taught. We’re constantly reviewing how it’s taught. Because we’ve got a couple of coroners juries that are dealing with that issue that’s not something that we’re going to go into in detail. But it is something that we do train for and we do train comprehensively for. It’s always under review. We’re constantly reviewing how we do that and trying to improve it. In terms of specifically what we do, it’s a dynamic that changes a lot. We have what we call MCITs, Mobile Crisis Intervention Teams. That’s something that’s going really well. These are police officers who get enhanced training who work with mental health nurses in the squad car. So the coppers partner is a nurse trained in mental health. And they’ll not only deal with issues in the first instance but they’ll do follow up and referrals. They get enhanced training. It is something we take seriously and it’s something we constantly review.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">MINTZ<br />What was it like when you were in school?<br />LENNOX<br />I’m afraid it’s a large number of days. I don’t have a clear memory of it. We got training on it. We used different language in those days. When I came through we referred to people as being MI. Mentally Ill, not an accurate label. Emotionally Disturbed Person. And also when you went into a hospital and talked about an MI to hospital staff they thought somebody was having a myocardial infraction, a heart attack. <o:p></o:p></span></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>2560</o:Words> <o:Characters>14595</o:Characters> <o:Company>Toronto Star</o:Company> <o:Lines>121</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>29</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>17923</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <!--EndFragment--><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p><a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2014/03/14/feeding_kale_salad_to_torontos_finest_hold_the_small_talk.html" target="_blank">Full column here ...</a></o:p></span></div>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-48452983335867075962014-03-11T13:20:00.001-04:002014-03-11T13:21:09.145-04:00Deleted Scenes: The Playlist<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V4WOAcONrmA/UxYxqi-lI-I/AAAAAAAAB10/Vx4zUyNDJkE/s1600/03_philspector.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V4WOAcONrmA/UxYxqi-lI-I/AAAAAAAAB10/Vx4zUyNDJkE/s1600/03_philspector.jpg" height="384" width="640" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Dear Corey,</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">I just finished reading your book. Incidentally, it was a gift from a guest at one of my dinner parties. I wasn't sure how to interpret&nbsp;<i><u>that</u></i>. Note to self: never give a book about hosting dinner parties to the person hosting a dinner party. Awkwardness aside, it has been a book that was on my want-to-read list. I consider myself a relatively practiced host - hosting<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">once a month - but am cynical enough to know there is always room for improvement. I found your book a delight to read and finished it that same night, whilst the dishes lay unwashed.</div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">However, the one question I had after reading it was about music. You emphasized candles in your book, but made no mention of music. It's something that perennially puzzles me: what sort of music should one play at a dinner party - if any at all? I never know if it's the right thing to do, and if so, what do I play? Something that is familiar, or something that can spark conversation? And should you curate your own playlist, or is Songza adequate? &nbsp;And if you believe music helps cultivate the right ambiance, then what genre of music would your recommend for a dinner party? Jazz, acoustic, head-banging Scandinavian punk, or classical?</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Thanks in advance. And if you insist on pasting this email in your blog, please redact my name, or change my name, or something. Whatever.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">From a local fan,</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Colonel Lucius P. Wigglebottom (<i>not his real name</i>)</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N9j9HcMVSaw/UxYxbKmGVMI/AAAAAAAAB1k/PhOrEI5njpo/s1600/mission_impossible_brochure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N9j9HcMVSaw/UxYxbKmGVMI/AAAAAAAAB1k/PhOrEI5njpo/s1600/mission_impossible_brochure.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: start;"><br /></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><i>Colonel Wigglebottom<br style="font-family: arial;" /><span style="font-family: arial;">Last week a friend asked (accused) me the same question. I told him that there WAS a chapter on music in the book. But I was wrong. It as in there, but cut at the last minute for reasons I can't remember.</span></i><br /><div style="font-family: arial;"><i><br />Here it is. I hope it helps.</i></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><div class=""><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">SIDEBAR: The Playlist<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class=""><br /></div><div class=""><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Have music playing when guests arrive and have enough of it so that it’s still playing when they leave.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class=""><br /></div><div class=""><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">There was a moment, around 2008, when a handful of restaurants were still playing CDs. You’d be eating, a little perplexed that the manager or owner had chosen to play not just a mix of classic rock, but the Sgt. Pepper album in its entirety, when the CD would start skipping and everyone in the place would whisper to their tablemates, “How are they still using a CD player?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="" style="text-indent: 11.6pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />But that’s all done now. Most restaurants are playing their music through iTunes or a similar program (or Songza or Rdio).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class=""><br /></div><div class=""><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Most of us listen to music in MP3 form. I’m not here to debate sound quality. A purist will still be playing records, in which case I say, do your thing DJ. But those of us who do not collect old vinyl, and are not prepared to pay renewed attention to the stereo every 37 minutes, make a playlist.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class=""><br /></div><div class=""><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">For Odin’s sake, make the playlist long, long enough to last the night. For all the technological innovations we have that make our lives easier but make us lazier, the iTunes playlist should be a win-win. Yet people are still using this tool to play one album at a time. And then they don’t notice when the music runs out. It is the simplest thing to drag and drop six hours of music into a playlist and be done with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class=""><br /></div><div class=""><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">This one does not need to be practiced. Just do it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class=""><br /></div><div class=""><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Music choices can divide us as much as unite us. The right song can make a guest feel like the whole night was designed around them. The wrong one can make them feel unwelcome.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class=""><br /></div><div class=""><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It’s not about playing the music that you like. Do that as loud as you want during prep time. But at dinner, it’s got to be something that puts people in the mood.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class=""><br /></div><div class=""><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In my all-purpose dinner party playlist, I have exactly one track from my favourite album (Stay True from Supreme Clientele). It is thick with early 70s reggae, which I never listen to outside of this mix.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class=""><br /></div><div class=""><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The aggressive heights of rock or hip-hop, even classical (Mahler’s 5<sup>th</sup>?) can be too much. But don’t go too far in the other direction, with some baroque chamber quartet or a band like Sigur Ros, music made for a hypnotist’s waiting room.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class=""><br /></div><div class=""><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I’m not saying you need to play elevator muzak. But just like the lighting, it can’t be too harsh or too mellow. Nothing you would dance to or have played at your funeral.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class=""><br /></div><div class=""><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">BONUS POINT: If it’s in your running/jogging playlist, it can’t be in your dinner playlist.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class=""><br /></div><div class=""><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">What’s not in my dinner playlist, much as I love it? Well, 90 percent of my music.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class=""><br /></div><div class=""><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">By all means play the music you like. Just curate it. Too many albums have that one song (or skit) that brings conversation skidding to a halt (I’m looking at you, every hip-hop album ever made).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class=""><br /></div><div class=""><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">More importantly, whatever you’re going to play, play it at the right volume. This is not a nightclub. No one should have to be yelling to be heard. If you see a guest continually glance at the stereo, or if they actually ask, “Can we turn this down?” take that cue.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class=""><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></div><div class="" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1cAwcD_4bJg/UxYxeJRiJfI/AAAAAAAAB1s/MIt5luW1TXo/s1600/ghostfacekillah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1cAwcD_4bJg/UxYxeJRiJfI/AAAAAAAAB1s/MIt5luW1TXo/s1600/ghostfacekillah.jpg" height="376" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="gmail_extra" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></div></div>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-1718348327574679552014-02-28T20:03:00.002-05:002014-03-07T11:55:25.198-05:00I went to LA and ate food and used many bathrooms<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You may have noticed, with great despair, <a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2014/03/07/why_great_dining_depends_on_good_transit.html" target="_blank">a couple weeks going by without a Fed column from me</a>. Well I took a vacation. It was only supposed to be one week. But things happen. Column guests with sick family members and scheduling problems and whatnot. And the next thing you know it's a long break. But the Fed column will be back March 15th with a couple columns featuring some interesting guests discussing police and police culture.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Meanwhile, here's where I ate in LA (that's short for Los Angeles, babe, if you're not up on the lingo). All my photos are of restaurant bathrooms and my friend's adorable children. And since you can't post photos of other people's kids, welcome to the Gentlemen's Rooms of LA.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j30MphiH3pA/UxEomRIYUkI/AAAAAAAABus/j9tcv1Fb2KI/s1600/IMG_7460.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j30MphiH3pA/UxEomRIYUkI/AAAAAAAABus/j9tcv1Fb2KI/s1600/IMG_7460.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://sqirlla.com/" target="_blank">Squirl </a>(East Hollywood)</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cutesy brunch place.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kodafarms.com/heirloom-kokuho-rose-preparation-serving-suggestions/" target="_blank">Kokuho Rose brown rice </a>(never heard of it, but it was rounder and bouncier, almost like barley) with sorrel pesto and kale. The kid had french toast with Jam and I ended up eating most of that too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w0nt5XAXY5g/UxEoqXiYfeI/AAAAAAAABu0/aGtNh58AXr4/s1600/IMG_7461.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w0nt5XAXY5g/UxEoqXiYfeI/AAAAAAAABu0/aGtNh58AXr4/s1600/IMG_7461.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zRWiV5A7gio/UxEowlNIDFI/AAAAAAAABu8/tDKdGpIpJHE/s1600/IMG_7468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zRWiV5A7gio/UxEowlNIDFI/AAAAAAAABu8/tDKdGpIpJHE/s1600/IMG_7468.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.stansdoughnuts.com/" target="_blank">Stan's Donuts (Westwood</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lotta independent donut shops in LA. This was the best I tried.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5JGO1_r0gpQ/UxEoyVaEutI/AAAAAAAABvE/xQeIJH4UgFw/s1600/IMG_7471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5JGO1_r0gpQ/UxEoyVaEutI/AAAAAAAABvE/xQeIJH4UgFw/s1600/IMG_7471.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://superbasnackbar.com/" target="_blank">Superba Snack Bar,</a> Venice</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They were out of the "cauliflower t-bone". But I had this phenomenal kale salad (replicated for an upcoming column) with parm, raisins and pine nuts.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LbcUmkyW1Ng/UxPau8I6YbI/AAAAAAAAB1U/SsZvxY6gNL0/s1600/IMG_2037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LbcUmkyW1Ng/UxPau8I6YbI/AAAAAAAAB1U/SsZvxY6gNL0/s1600/IMG_2037.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a>The trick to the parm was pulsing it in the food processor to get a pebble texture.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q4ya3M0WNCM/UxEo1qlL6uI/AAAAAAAABvM/BDortZuOXas/s1600/IMG_7472.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q4ya3M0WNCM/UxEo1qlL6uI/AAAAAAAABvM/BDortZuOXas/s1600/IMG_7472.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I had a wonderful meal at a place called <a href="http://www.gjelina.com/" target="_blank">Gjelina</a> (Venice) but I didn't use the gentleman's room so no photo. One of the things I ate there that captivated me was whole fava beans, grilled and covered in pecorino, lemon and black pepper. They were in the pods, which were entirely edible, something I guess you can only do when you're close enough to the growing source to use the underdeveloped pods.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BB11QzQ5gmI/UxEpBKb-YxI/AAAAAAAABv0/rcbkyBbVxyQ/s1600/IMG_7490.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BB11QzQ5gmI/UxEpBKb-YxI/AAAAAAAABv0/rcbkyBbVxyQ/s1600/IMG_7490.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rode a bike to the farmer's market. Multiple stalls selling California strawberries. Not the watery ones they ship up to Toronto in the winter. The good ones.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u8X9oqQ4fOU/UxEpAK-emAI/AAAAAAAABvs/yHTrqS-g5HQ/s1600/IMG_7498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u8X9oqQ4fOU/UxEpAK-emAI/AAAAAAAABvs/yHTrqS-g5HQ/s1600/IMG_7498.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hopped on the freeway and drove out to the east end, Where Mariscos Jalisco truck fed me deep-fried tacos and a ceviche tostada with like a half pound of seafood on it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tanPkhtLxYY/UxEpFRlekGI/AAAAAAAABv8/j6gjQo0Omjo/s1600/IMG_7502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tanPkhtLxYY/UxEpFRlekGI/AAAAAAAABv8/j6gjQo0Omjo/s1600/IMG_7502.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Great donuts. Not as great as Stan's, though.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RQml6RWjcr8/UxEpF-uxJ0I/AAAAAAAABwI/kOYToekaAt8/s1600/IMG_7508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RQml6RWjcr8/UxEpF-uxJ0I/AAAAAAAABwI/kOYToekaAt8/s1600/IMG_7508.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This sweet gal talked me from a half dozen to a dozen, a decision I WILL NEVER REGRET.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lEiO7oX2SrM/UxEo7pjJkhI/AAAAAAAABvk/iAYqQe0ZwzE/s1600/IMG_7479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lEiO7oX2SrM/UxEo7pjJkhI/AAAAAAAABvk/iAYqQe0ZwzE/s1600/IMG_7479.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Looking for a bottle of <a href="http://www.bourbonheritagecenter.com/our-bourbons/parker%E2%80%99s-heritage-collection-small-batch-bourbon/" target="_blank">Parker's</a>, I ended up at a place called Beverage Warehouse. As you can see, a literal warehouse. At Wally's Wine &amp; Spirits, the guy liked that I asked for Noah's Mill and told me, "Seeing as you're no poser, I'll let you know that I've got three bottles of Parker's coming in next month. And I'll sell you one." I'm from out of town, I told him. But my friend could come and buy it for me. "I will not sell it to your friend." Butts to that.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O_gkcUXgI9o/UxEpQT-sfQI/AAAAAAAABwU/dM-quL_bAYE/s1600/IMG_7518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O_gkcUXgI9o/UxEpQT-sfQI/AAAAAAAABwU/dM-quL_bAYE/s1600/IMG_7518.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://nightmarketla.com/" target="_blank">Night + Market </a>(West Hollywood)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The northern Thai food — spicy, sour isaan fermenteed sausages, sweet stews, and I wish we'd tried that catfish tamale — is something I wish we here. Though the "we don't care" decor of soccer jerseys nailed to the wall and beer served in recycled jars tries a little too hard at not caring about aesthetics.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p072lNcktQw/UxEpRlDRDxI/AAAAAAAABwg/D8SF6WIYLhI/s1600/IMG_7520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p072lNcktQw/UxEpRlDRDxI/AAAAAAAABwg/D8SF6WIYLhI/s1600/IMG_7520.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After a donut breakfast, no one was happier than me that we went for a Korean taco snack at a <a href="http://kogibbq.com/" target="_blank">Kogi </a>truck on our way to our hike. I ate two rib sliders and four tacos because but I am not a hero. The tacos (beef, pork, chicken, tofu) all tasted the same.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wxGiQT6wd0o/UxEpbnNWt_I/AAAAAAAABw0/PTV4MT6_Kvw/s1600/IMG_7536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wxGiQT6wd0o/UxEpbnNWt_I/AAAAAAAABw0/PTV4MT6_Kvw/s1600/IMG_7536.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is Pinkie Pie. She accompanied us on our hike through Runyon Canyon.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7lS4BuLG3po/UxEpamEmWBI/AAAAAAAABws/dB_mD6QqJXE/s1600/IMG_7543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7lS4BuLG3po/UxEpamEmWBI/AAAAAAAABws/dB_mD6QqJXE/s1600/IMG_7543.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A26RzGrY-TI/UxEpf0xDyaI/AAAAAAAABxE/lb6HGv-feE0/s1600/IMG_7550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A26RzGrY-TI/UxEpf0xDyaI/AAAAAAAABxE/lb6HGv-feE0/s1600/IMG_7550.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There seems to be some type of conspiracy about whether or not you can hike in certain areas.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nwtLOiuvi48/UxEpojhnRDI/AAAAAAAABxY/GrKW7gB_b-Q/s1600/IMG_7554.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nwtLOiuvi48/UxEpojhnRDI/AAAAAAAABxY/GrKW7gB_b-Q/s1600/IMG_7554.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://kruathaica.com/" target="_blank">Krua Thai </a>(North Hollywood) the first real let-down.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsVZ4tN3Dns/UxEpmvnukTI/AAAAAAAABxM/hjkbgsmjSts/s1600/IMG_7555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsVZ4tN3Dns/UxEpmvnukTI/AAAAAAAABxM/hjkbgsmjSts/s1600/IMG_7555.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There was an In-N-Out Burger within biking distance, a real treat. You don't need me to tell you that this is the tops as far as fast food burgers are concerned. I mean, it's like a king of burgers, a burgering king. But the strange thing is how bad the fries are, dry and underseasoned, like they never met a deep-fryer or salt. It's almost like they're trolling for a reaction. Like, can you believe how bad our fries are, considering the allure and street cred of our burgers? Also the burgers are about $3.50. How much is a fast food hamburger in Canada? Like $40?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GmeGbntUJc8/UxEp1xIfcMI/AAAAAAAABxs/iJ0kir6O1AU/s1600/IMG_7564.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GmeGbntUJc8/UxEp1xIfcMI/AAAAAAAABxs/iJ0kir6O1AU/s1600/IMG_7564.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This was another odd and unsatisfying experience. When you see all the joints in Toronto that try to be a "resto-lounge", a place to eat AND party, it's hard to understand what they're after. But this is it. Half of <a href="http://www.sunnyspotvenice.com/" target="_blank">Sunny Spot</a>&nbsp;(Venice) was packed with a young crowd, as loud as any bar, the other half a blindingly bright patio. Oh, and there was a bar too, where I edged my way to the front to order a bloody mary. At every opportunity the staff offered to turn my drink into a bottomless bloody mary for just 4 more dollars. This explained the crowd. Though I don't know how anyone drives home non-drunk.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vnvUZtbjZTU/UxEp3IPQy3I/AAAAAAAABx4/BJp4dSERwog/s1600/IMG_7568.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vnvUZtbjZTU/UxEp3IPQy3I/AAAAAAAABx4/BJp4dSERwog/s1600/IMG_7568.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OOfyYoMbnno/UxEp3Gn9rBI/AAAAAAAABx0/skLgUJo2v7k/s1600/IMG_7570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OOfyYoMbnno/UxEp3Gn9rBI/AAAAAAAABx0/skLgUJo2v7k/s1600/IMG_7570.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After our long brunch ordeal (where the kids were shockingly well-behaved) I headed out on my own to Apple Pan for a burger.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lya5xlgDPJI/UxEp8R1zUfI/AAAAAAAAByE/IM9f1XKg1f8/s1600/IMG_7575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lya5xlgDPJI/UxEp8R1zUfI/AAAAAAAAByE/IM9f1XKg1f8/s1600/IMG_7575.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A half dozen diners waited for seats. But I skipped the line by being a solo.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K5M-rU8Qcjw/UxEqBpsPkiI/AAAAAAAAByM/U3N7nhNmeNE/s1600/IMG_7576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K5M-rU8Qcjw/UxEqBpsPkiI/AAAAAAAAByM/U3N7nhNmeNE/s1600/IMG_7576.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Same style as the In-N-Out. Griddle-smashed. But layered with about a half-inch of iceberg lettuce, which goes the extra distance to defining the ideal soft-to-crisp ratio you're looking for in a burger.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_iUsEO4ZS74/UxEqCsOYUZI/AAAAAAAAByU/rrb9qDCUCQA/s1600/IMG_7578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_iUsEO4ZS74/UxEqCsOYUZI/AAAAAAAAByU/rrb9qDCUCQA/s1600/IMG_7578.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"Quality Forever"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U1Rd6SZj-Uo/UxEqJskprEI/AAAAAAAAByo/ZkT-Yx1iUdw/s1600/IMG_7592.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U1Rd6SZj-Uo/UxEqJskprEI/AAAAAAAAByo/ZkT-Yx1iUdw/s1600/IMG_7592.jpg" height="640" width="536" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mvink.com/" target="_blank">Ink</a> is so classy it has rocks in the sink. Some of the food, like "housemade doritos" (I knew someone whose hippie parents told her that rice cakes were cookies and this is the same level of deception) over rustic grit, is sheer foolishness. Other items — dumplings filled with egg yolk, covered with brown butter and hen of the woods mushrooms, a salad of crab and soft homemade tofu — exist at the nexus of a chef's ego and capability. Some real delights here.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Oh, and that's not my reflection in the mirror. Over the toilet there's a photo of someone, the chef maybe, taking a selfie)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_KWcV9Zs8_k/UxEqTrRfxRI/AAAAAAAABzE/2uFxoDcjJps/s1600/IMG_7615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_KWcV9Zs8_k/UxEqTrRfxRI/AAAAAAAABzE/2uFxoDcjJps/s1600/IMG_7615.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://figsantamonica.com/" target="_blank">Fig</a> was terrible. Maybe it's good for dinner. My kale and corn burger was truly unpleasant, like some cowboy stew wedged on a bun. All I ask from a sandwich is that I be able to pick it up with my hands. It's in a hotel and we did see that guy from Entourage. So, seeing a guy who's famous for playing a pretend famous guy. That's something, right?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-khmhPU-v9Yc/UxEqkBXVvuI/AAAAAAAABzk/hbq2pZ4oxOg/s1600/IMG_7629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-khmhPU-v9Yc/UxEqkBXVvuI/AAAAAAAABzk/hbq2pZ4oxOg/s1600/IMG_7629.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We went to the J. Paul Getty Villa, which the resident three-year-old dubbed the "J. Paul Spaghetti Villa"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eUxCTrDxpZY/UxEqd8AlsEI/AAAAAAAABzY/enuSxjPX4Lc/s1600/IMG_7626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eUxCTrDxpZY/UxEqd8AlsEI/AAAAAAAABzY/enuSxjPX4Lc/s1600/IMG_7626.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>How many butts can you spot in this photo?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k4uAtpbV_-A/UxEqapH2EbI/AAAAAAAABzM/Gz4IFagjHBg/s1600/IMG_7625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k4uAtpbV_-A/UxEqapH2EbI/AAAAAAAABzM/Gz4IFagjHBg/s1600/IMG_7625.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">J. Paul Spaghetti would have his goons pummel an ox for sport. This is why he's not well-remembered.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-etT3h6wVfHE/UxEqda58dWI/AAAAAAAABzU/jSEanIPTuXM/s1600/IMG_7628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-etT3h6wVfHE/UxEqda58dWI/AAAAAAAABzU/jSEanIPTuXM/s1600/IMG_7628.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I would say dude lived like a King but actually he built this place just to show off his nutty antiquities collection and he never even visited.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-45LEJIXryZA/UxEqqNmWceI/AAAAAAAABzw/D4vl7LA10Lc/s1600/IMG_7635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-45LEJIXryZA/UxEqqNmWceI/AAAAAAAABzw/D4vl7LA10Lc/s1600/IMG_7635.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://animalrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">Animal </a>(Fairfax Distric) was easily the best meal I had in LA. Very Hoof-ish. Fried egg over soft pig's ear, tongue with black mustard and steelhead roe, sweetbreads with black sriracha (charred chilies and onions + squid ink &amp; sesame oil). Oh, and charming service too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NsTVY4enM_Q/UxEqv0hlCUI/AAAAAAAAB0A/nhgEhhoYO1Y/s1600/IMG_7636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NsTVY4enM_Q/UxEqv0hlCUI/AAAAAAAAB0A/nhgEhhoYO1Y/s1600/IMG_7636.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l2u3vFIYB1I/UxEqzifx4qI/AAAAAAAAB0M/RgI0PTFtD20/s1600/IMG_7638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l2u3vFIYB1I/UxEqzifx4qI/AAAAAAAAB0M/RgI0PTFtD20/s1600/IMG_7638.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4WAJ6LRgEsY/UxEqvHL0nGI/AAAAAAAABz8/2ifW5HMinvQ/s1600/IMG_7643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4WAJ6LRgEsY/UxEqvHL0nGI/AAAAAAAABz8/2ifW5HMinvQ/s1600/IMG_7643.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After dinner Borel and I went to weird stand-up night in the back of a <a href="http://www.meltcomics.com/blog/" target="_blank">comic book store</a>. This is her butt. It does not quit.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ITuHhNxWdQA/UxEq8aJX8xI/AAAAAAAAB0o/_ISHUnAq388/s1600/IMG_7707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ITuHhNxWdQA/UxEq8aJX8xI/AAAAAAAAB0o/_ISHUnAq388/s1600/IMG_7707.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I spent the night on Kathryn and Graham's sofa because it is a 40 minute drive back to Toby's. This is her dog, George. Supposedly she won't go near strangers. Except for ME. Because I AM MAGIC.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HMTyiGB5vD0/UxEo5MyCbhI/AAAAAAAABvc/FsYnSiW0GIQ/s1600/IMG_7478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HMTyiGB5vD0/UxEo5MyCbhI/AAAAAAAABvc/FsYnSiW0GIQ/s1600/IMG_7478.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>This was my car. That's right. It's a Mazda-3, babe. That's pretty much the best car there is.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-USuFTRb-CVk/UxEpFm4h1QI/AAAAAAAABwA/h7s8UJUoGHc/s1600/IMG_7516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-USuFTRb-CVk/UxEpFm4h1QI/AAAAAAAABwA/h7s8UJUoGHc/s1600/IMG_7516.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">&nbsp;I don't get these license plates. Do you? Ship Licks? Shop Locks? Milk Nose? Martin Luthor King Knows?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-79NQRV0B6mU/UxEqD7dcGhI/AAAAAAAAByc/k2-CtqraYp0/s1600/IMG_7587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-79NQRV0B6mU/UxEqD7dcGhI/AAAAAAAAByc/k2-CtqraYp0/s1600/IMG_7587.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sometimes I just turned the GPS off and drove.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b2mkwr7EE1U/UxEqJZiRWqI/AAAAAAAAByk/Bl2lmEyioJU/s1600/IMG_7604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b2mkwr7EE1U/UxEqJZiRWqI/AAAAAAAAByk/Bl2lmEyioJU/s1600/IMG_7604.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Daredevil rides the train (non-canon).</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zkPvn-S7ZkM/UxEqKi8YRfI/AAAAAAAABy0/VAFIkYxai6I/s1600/IMG_7605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zkPvn-S7ZkM/UxEqKi8YRfI/AAAAAAAABy0/VAFIkYxai6I/s1600/IMG_7605.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dr. Strange and Howard the Duck ride a slipper (non-canon)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A8MKIveL5C4/UxEq5-7wV3I/AAAAAAAAB0c/OcLOgPMrrvE/s1600/IMG_7663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A8MKIveL5C4/UxEq5-7wV3I/AAAAAAAAB0c/OcLOgPMrrvE/s1600/IMG_7663.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"<span style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; font-family: proxima-nova, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; line-height: 20px;">And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. True story, bro." —Numbers, 13, bro</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rRxziQX6C5U/UxEq8Ac5KTI/AAAAAAAAB0k/keSi0kWBlPI/s1600/IMG_7668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rRxziQX6C5U/UxEq8Ac5KTI/AAAAAAAAB0k/keSi0kWBlPI/s1600/IMG_7668.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Drove down to Compton for barbecue at <a href="http://bludsosbbq.com/" target="_blank">Bludsoe's</a>. Good gravy was it good. Came back with ribs, brisket and pulled pork. After insisting we eat on Venice beach, I learned why that is not a good idea, as Venice beach is an unpleasant stretch of dirty sand and tourist businesses populated by unsavoury scuzzballs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fzY8pqdnm24/UxErA9cZDTI/AAAAAAAAB00/wLc3VQcSpVM/s1600/IMG_7765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fzY8pqdnm24/UxErA9cZDTI/AAAAAAAAB00/wLc3VQcSpVM/s1600/IMG_7765.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fjKG-twoYZc/UxEoiguCasI/AAAAAAAABuk/TkjKruRYDZA/s1600/Alibi+Room+B.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fjKG-twoYZc/UxEoiguCasI/AAAAAAAABuk/TkjKruRYDZA/s1600/Alibi+Room+B.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.alibiroomla.com/home.php" target="_blank">The Alibi Room.</a> Another Roy Choi joint (oh, we went to <a href="http://aframela.com/new/" target="_blank">A-Frame </a>on the first night), a tasteful room where well-made cocktails are served alongside greasy quesadillas on paper plates. I gorged myself on an expanded and delicious Kogi truck menu lined with sour cream and cheese.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mnh_t1BJ9FA/UxEobdWE0xI/AAAAAAAABuc/V_Yr_NedDSc/s1600/IMG_7447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mnh_t1BJ9FA/UxEobdWE0xI/AAAAAAAABuc/V_Yr_NedDSc/s1600/IMG_7447.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Toby and Kelly put me in the play room, which was great because it gets lots of light and comes with toys.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fb4bGNZ51fs/UxEpn_RLsoI/AAAAAAAABxU/VkvXjzWFDnQ/s1600/IMG_7559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fb4bGNZ51fs/UxEpn_RLsoI/AAAAAAAABxU/VkvXjzWFDnQ/s1600/IMG_7559.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But then one morning when I got out of the show someone had played with my room's toys. WHAT KIND OF HOTEL IS THIS? Oh, right. My friend's home.</div><br />A+ vacation. Great weather (t-shirt days, sweater nights), hanging with friends and kids, not worrying about work at all.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-5041902808673537832013-12-27T13:01:00.000-05:002013-12-30T15:46:37.635-05:00Mrs. Cab Driver<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OctUbtjMu_0/Ur29atUevsI/AAAAAAAABrg/6smRq0zk_gc/s1600/IMG_1084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OctUbtjMu_0/Ur29atUevsI/AAAAAAAABrg/6smRq0zk_gc/s640/IMG_1084.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />In advance of hosting dinner for the head of the Beck and Diamond taxi companies, my friends submitted some terrific questions. <a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2013/12/26/we_feed_torontos_taxi_chiefs_then_we_grill_them_fed.html" target="_blank">I got answers for all of them and presented the column as a Q&amp;A.</a> Butt a lot of it had to be trimmed for space. In appreciation for the crowd-sourced Questions, here are your answers.<br /><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Q &amp; A:<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><!--[endif]--></span></b><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Why is the starting fare ($4.50?) of Toronto cabs so high?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">SOUTER<br />It’s one of the highest starting fare prices anywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BELL<br />Large reason was a gas increase back in 2008, where they put the fares up a dollar when it first jumped up to $1.30 a liter from about 95 cents. That’s probably their largest consumable cost. And then the second spike was when Mister Revenue Canada put HST on the meter fare. That put an additional 8 percent on in July of 2010. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Why are cabbies always having trouble with their credit and debit machines?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BECK-SOUTER<br />Because they don’t like to use them. Cash is king. They have to pay fees. We’re currently looking at how customers can pay in advance with their credit card without hassling with the driver. We have it mandated in our company. They have to have a POS terminal.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Toronto city council has proposed a new, long list of requirements, one of which is that 100 percent of taxis be wheelchair accessible. How much of your fleet do you think should be accessible?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BECK-SOUTER<br />There’s no doubt that there’s a need to increase the numbers of accessible cabs right now. I don’t know what that percentage is. No one’s done a study. We estimate that there’s one percent that require a wheelchair accessible vehicle. We do about 20,000 calls a day. We probably get maybe 25 calls for wheelchair accessible vehicles. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BELL<br />Just that requirement alone, the capital costs we probably be an additional 60 to 80 percent per vehicle going on the road. Those vehicles cost about $50,000. We try to follow the Australian ideal of equivalent service. If two people are sitting in a restaurant and it’s time to go home and one person happens to be in a wheelchair, both taxicabs should arrive pretty close to the same time. That’s the ideal.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Are cabbies just talking to other cabbies on their cell phone?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">SOUTER<br />They don’t do that in Beck taxis. Company policy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BELL<br />They get on a party line. There are 35 taxi drivers all hooked up, talking about their fares.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">SOUTER<br />But the answer to that question is it’s illegal and none of it should be happening.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BECK<br />What I’d say to them is, I’d normally tip a driver but you were on the phone so no tip for you.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MninxHlDJOE/Ur29evXbfII/AAAAAAAABro/L_MfReFTI4Q/s1600/IMG_1119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MninxHlDJOE/Ur29evXbfII/AAAAAAAABro/L_MfReFTI4Q/s640/IMG_1119.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">How have car services Uber and Hailo affected your business?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BECK-SOUTER<br />There’s no infrastructure. They piggyback off of us. They hand a phone to you, sign you up as a driver. You take that phone and now you’re eligible to receive calls. We take the position that you can only work for one boss at a time. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BELL<br />Municipalities across North America a struggling with this new technology.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br />If taxi drivers have to take a test in order to drive a cab, how come so many of them don’t know where major destinations in Toronto are?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">SOUTER<br />I can answer that. Because the guy that took the cab driver’s license gave it to his buddy. Just gave him his license.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BECK<br />Oh, stop that. There’s a lot of geography in the course. But it is a 17-day course. And a lot of drivers are new to the city, new to this country. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BELL<br />They’ve crammed enough to pass, but they don’t retain it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">How many fares does a cabbie need to pick up for it to be a profitable night?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BELL<br />They estimate the average fare to be around $20. A driver typically has to make about $160 to break even. Eight to ten to break even. Most drivers are doing about 30 trips per shift.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Two-part airport question:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">1. Is it true that when you drive a client to the airport, you can’t pick up fares there?<br />2. (from Indian friend) Can you ask them to stop arguing with me over whether Kashmir is a part of India or Pakistan? I just need to get to the airport and it's making me uncomfortable.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BELL<br />We encourage our drivers to keep politics out of the taxi cabs.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BECK-SOUTER<br />Conversation at a business level.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">SOUTER<br />You’ve got to be careful when you talk politics to any cab driver.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BECK-SOUTER<br />We’re not allowed to pick up at the Pearson Airport. It’s part of Mississauga. The cabs have to pay a $15 compound fee to go into the airport to pick up. Per ride. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BELL<br />They (the cabs that are queued up at the airport) have to have a dual license, in the municipality in Ontario and then they have to have a separate GTA license that they pay an annual fee for. The go through bar scanning. Every time they go through the compound a fee is imposed upon them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Can you get your dispatchers to stop being so abusive to the drivers?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BECK-SOUTER<br />That would be us.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BELL<br />We have computer dispatch.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BECK-SOUTER<br />And we only have live. And that’s something we struggle with all the time, the combativeness between the driver and the dispatcher. There is that mentality, when someone sits in a chair and he’s all powerful with the orders, it’s like someone put a crown on their head and donned them king. To that end we’re looking to implement computer a bit too. It would free up the dispatcher’s time a bit and make it less congested on the radio.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Why don’t cabs signal?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">BELL<br />We’re actually saving on bulbs. We’re trying to reduce out maintenance costs (laughs all around). Cab drivers are actually very professional drivers. When they make some moves they just make the move because they know they can.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">SOUTER<br />My signals are different than most (pauses). The night’s getting later and don’t feel that I should speak anymore. Because I not only work for her (motions to wife), I have to live somewhere (pauses again). I think it’s more like no signals at all. I never put signals on. Never. Ever. <o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A8OsgvaJTD4/Ur29jhWTi9I/AAAAAAAABrw/CnK6kyNErzU/s1600/IMG_1122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A8OsgvaJTD4/Ur29jhWTi9I/AAAAAAAABrw/CnK6kyNErzU/s640/IMG_1122.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><b>POST-SCRIPT</b><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div><i>Also, in the column there is a passing reference to the complicated question, "Who owns the cabs". Here (in VERY ROUGH note form) is Jim Bell's explanation.</i><br /><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><b>1929<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Grandfather of Jim Bell (Diamond) gets license from chief of police. Later owns cabs, pays drivers an hourly wage. Later cabbies demand commission. 50/50 split. Driver pays for fuel. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">In 1957 Toronto is incorporated. Smaller towns had county cabs that couldn’t cross borders (or couldn’t pick up so if they drove a fare up to North York they’d have to deadhead back). New boundaries of Toronto — Etobicoke Creek, Steeles —&nbsp;all issued from City of Toronto. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Standard plate.</b> Cars could now go between municipalities. But now licenses were issued to owner/drivers. Cars weren’t working at night. So the city issued additional plates to companies, which could operate more than one vehicle, and operate the vehicle on a shift basis. You couldn’t transfer a plate until 1964. In the mid-sixties, drivers said they should be able to get plates that allowed them to operate 24 hours service. City started waiting list for new plates. Then there was a court case where cabbies argued it was unfair to issue multiple licenses to companies but not to individual drivers. So drivers started to own second licenses. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">About 1983 there are 2500 plates on the road. Ratio was based on population, airport traffic, GO ridership. Still all STANDARD plates. By this point there were absentee owners. A license was an investment, a pension. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">In 1998, city pushes for owner/driver system, by imposing rules for age of vehicles, driver training and the <b>Ambassador</b> plate (non-transferable, owner-driven, can work maximum of 12 hours). 30 day driver school. Grandfathered plates from Standard. 300 Ambassador plates issued. Owners couldn’t hire second drivers, had to operate cab themselves. City also created Taxicab advisory commission, which said that if cabs can only work 12 hours a day, and formula says that we should be issuing more plates, two Ambassadors should equal one Standard. They issued 1400 ambassador plates, taking ratio to about one cab for 550 people. We now have approximately 4850 cabs for population of 2.6 million. Too many cabs on the brink of SARS. Drivers starved and couldn’t sell their licenses. Ambassador licensees more ore less second class citizens. Cab lobby told city to recognize that this was a mistake, asked them to give all Ambassadors a Standard license. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">NOW: New proposal from city has long list of requirements, including a new license, TTL (Toronto Taxi License):<br />·<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>All taxis will be wheelchair accessible.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">·<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Fire hydrants will become cab stands, where drivers will be required to stay inside their vehicle, ready to drive or move in case of an emergency.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">·<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Digital screens will be installed in all cabs, showing the fare, cab number and the driver’s photo. They could be set up in the future with a GPS to keep riders informed of their progress.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">·<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Drivers will have the right to ask for a maximum deposit of $25 before they start driving and can charge $25 if the cab is soiled during the ride.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">·<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Cabs will be required to have machines to take credit or debit card payments. A cap, yet to be determined, will be placed on fees charged for electronic payments.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">·<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Taxis will be added to the streets on a rolling basis to maintain current passenger wait times of about nine minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">·<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>All taxi owners will be required to drive their own cabs, at least part of the time, and will not be permitted to hire agents to manage their cabs for them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Old licenses will still exists. When Ambassador plates go off the road, the city will replace it with a TTL. For a Standard plate, if the owner dies, the plate goes to the estate for a period of a year, then the license is transferred … (back to the city?)<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2013/12/26/we_feed_torontos_taxi_chiefs_then_we_grill_them_fed.html" target="_blank">You can find the column (plus the recipe for the broccoli salad with poblano dressing here)</a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KJZS_h6iS0M/Ur29XxZvpdI/AAAAAAAABrM/IJ6C4k605IM/s1600/IMG_1353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KJZS_h6iS0M/Ur29XxZvpdI/AAAAAAAABrM/IJ6C4k605IM/s640/IMG_1353.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vdrs88qRcww/Ur29X6OkaeI/AAAAAAAABrI/MTtWJca6_Mg/s1600/IMG_1362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vdrs88qRcww/Ur29X6OkaeI/AAAAAAAABrI/MTtWJca6_Mg/s640/IMG_1362.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-83Au0bb4M9k/Ur29YFS-obI/AAAAAAAABrQ/AxKDAaau2fs/s1600/IMG_1357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-83Au0bb4M9k/Ur29YFS-obI/AAAAAAAABrQ/AxKDAaau2fs/s640/IMG_1357.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p>... <i>and so on and so forth.</i></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><i><b>DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE</b></i></span></div>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-49369227373222049472013-12-01T20:06:00.002-05:002013-12-01T20:07:05.687-05:002013 Gift Guide<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 64px; line-height: 89px; text-align: center;">DON’T BUY ANYTHING.</span>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-46041420483585353242013-11-28T11:31:00.004-05:002013-12-02T14:27:47.680-05:00The Feast Finale<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ACHh0GYwPEY/UpdsiJk73RI/AAAAAAAABog/TanDoyTzA0s/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-11-20+at+6.04.26+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="352" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ACHh0GYwPEY/UpdsiJk73RI/AAAAAAAABog/TanDoyTzA0s/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-11-20+at+6.04.26+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">This week was my final Feast column. <a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2013/11/28/learn_to_make_the_emersons_roast_lamb.html" target="_blank">I tried to jam in so much about what I’ve learned inthis last year of cooking chef recipes.</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">There were two elements that space wouldn’t allow for: a HUGE thank you to the people who’ve made the Feast series possible, and an explanation of what we’re working on for the future.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The series stared in the summer of 2012 when I was filling in for Jen Bain, who was on jury duty. For a <a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/2012/06/27/how_to_make_twice_fried_salt_and_pepper_shrimp.html" target="_blank">Chinese salt and pepper shrimp</a> recipe (from the "soon-to-open Gwailo restaurant", which never opened), I was asked to step in front of the camera by visuals editor Taras Slawnych. My palms were sweating and I was hyperventilating. But Taras told me I’d be great. And photographer Randy Risling edited down my rambling so that I was only seen to be saying cleverish things.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">With Jen away on maternity leave, this last year was always a temporary assignment. But it never would have happened, and it never would have been any fun, if it weren’t for the tireless support of Taras, who liked and approved most of my ideas, but had no problem telling me when they didn’t work.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">When newspapers started producing videos, there was the expected reluctance on the part of people who’d spend decades shooting photos for a living. But most have adapted, flourished even.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">During a recent shoot with Dave Cooper, we spent two hours making a terrific video about a <a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2013/11/13/mengrai_thais_taste_of_thailand_claws_and_all.html" target="_blank">Thai lobster soup</a>. At then end, Dave spent a few minutes taking still photos of the finished dish. “This part here used to be my job,” he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Keith Beaty, who is a jillion years old, who wheezes and takes a break when he reaches the third floor of my apartment, has taken to the project with joy. Keith can be notoriously difficult when he doesn’t like an assignment. But he’s only been a pleasure. We worked together almost exclusively for a couple months until scheduling wouldn’t permit it. Since then I’ve shot with pretty much every staff photographer, plus a couple freelancers.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">For making me look less ugly and less fat, for making me sound less stupid and less crazy, I would like to extend a</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">&nbsp;huge thank you to staff photographers Bernard Weil, Richard Lautens, Lucas Oleniuk (who made a c</span><a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2013/04/25/baltimore_ballparks_famous_crab_dip_good_on_everything_feast.html" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';" target="_blank">rab dip and Eggo waffle sandwich</a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> look sexy), Steve Russell, Chris So, Carlos Osorio (who can be heard correcting my Spanish pronunciation in the </span><a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2013/09/11/corn_all_dressed_for_fall_feast.html" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';" target="_blank">Mexicangrilled corn</a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> video), Rene Johnston (who adapted brilliantly to a break in the usually scripted videos, to shooting documentary style as we went through a </span><a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2013/10/17/it_took_a_while_but_now_i_can_make_a_loaf_of_bread_feast.html" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';" target="_blank">bread-making lesson</a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">), Dave and of course Randy. You’ve got to see Randy’s video of the </span><a href="http://www.thestar.com/projects/one_more_jump.html" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';" target="_blank">guy jumping off a building in a wheelchair.</a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kWLgPmpO1nY/Updv4ENrS9I/AAAAAAAABos/mvBaYGtTcOs/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-11-28+at+11.23.04+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kWLgPmpO1nY/Updv4ENrS9I/AAAAAAAABos/mvBaYGtTcOs/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-11-28+at+11.23.04+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br />Freelancers and contractors — Anne-Marie Jackson, Stuart Clarfied, Galit Rodan, Chloe Ellingson — have come in, often without knowing me or what we’re doing, and hit it out of the park.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">On one hand, there’d be greater consistency to work with the same person each week. On the other, I’ve learned far more by shooting so many different personalities, who all bring their own specialties and preferences: handheld, tracking shots, monopods, gopros, natural lighting, jump cuts, multi-frames. Every one of them has introduced an element that I wouldn’t have thought of. So, it’s been like sampling a buffet of video styles, which is a treat because I’ve been able to pick out what I like. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Shooting and editing has been a great education, a conversation with collaborators that’s different than the usual writer/editor dynamic. The frequent theme is me begging to have each shot length shaved down an inch.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Recently I saw a&nbsp;video&nbsp;on the New York Times website for a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/28/dining/a-homecoming-for-honey-cakes.html?_r=0" target="_blank">honey cake recipe</a>. Like all their videos, it was excellent. Food writer Melissa Clark sounded smart and funny. Her hair looked terrific. The lighting was warm.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The credits listed two producers, two food stylists, a hair/makeup artist, three&nbsp;PAs, a photographer and separate people for audio and graphics. Clearly they don’t shoot one video at a time. They make a production of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">But I think we're doing a damn fine job with just one bald fool and a photographer.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Obviously a big thank you to the Star for paying me <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P2OeK4MRkM" target="_blank">MONEY</a>, which I LOVE (and have, since way before it became popular).<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Thank you to all the chefs who took the time out of their day to teach me something. I learned something from every one.</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br />And of course the many friends — Pay Chen, Galit Rodan, Karon Liu, David Topping, Paola Loriggio, Dawn Laing, Laura Adams, Patti Robinson, Andrew Poulsen, Scaachi Koul, Mary Wood — who guest-starred as my "interns", some asked by family and friends why they were interning when they had jobs.</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-size: x-large;">A paragraph alone doesn't due justice to MAX MANDEL, composer of my theme music, so I'll just have to use extra-large type.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br />Going forward, there won’t be much change to the videos. But the recipes will be pulled from the Fed column. <br /><br />Four years ago, when we began Fed, my boss Kim Honey suggested that the column could have recipes, but the space would have to be subtracted from the body. So if I included a 200 word recipe in a 700 word column, I’d have to make it a 500 word column. We dropped that idea. But readers regularly email me, asking for recipes from the dinner parties I host. I’m happy to get back to them and explain dishes in loose terms, as opposed to recipe writing, which requires testing everything with a stopwatch. Now we’re going to get into those recipes. So each week, for these interview dinners, I usually cook two, three or four courses. One of those will be turned into a recipe with a video. Sometimes it’ll be my own creation, or something I’ve adapted from a book or a chef or a friend. I think there’ll be more flexibility. Like last week my orthodontist was asking me how to make jus and after a five minutes explanation I thought, let’s make that a video.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br />For restaurant recipe requests, you’ll have to contact returning champ <a href="http://www.thestar.com/authors.bain_jennifer.html" target="_blank">JenniferBain</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br />For the content of future videos, I can only promise you, with all humility, more of the pulse-pounding tales, thrilling plot-twists, celebrity guest-stars (they're all celebrities to me) and non-award-winning performances you’ve come to love, or possibly you’ve come to treat with indifference.*<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>807</o:Words> <o:Characters>4601</o:Characters> <o:Company>Toronto Star</o:Company> <o:Lines>38</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>9</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>5650</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <!--EndFragment--><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">For reading this far, you are all honorary Friends Of The Column.<br /><br />*Who says this isn’t the Mighty Marvel Age of shameless self-promotion?<o:p></o:p></span></div>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-85557671672826827582013-10-03T17:40:00.001-04:002013-10-03T17:54:32.436-04:00AN OPEN LETTER TO MILEY CYRUS<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Wait, who are you? Are you Sporty or Posh?<br />...<br /><br /></div>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-25889739682851163722013-10-01T10:18:00.002-04:002013-10-01T16:22:38.242-04:00The Nutty LettersFor a recent <a href="http://www.thestar.com/authors.mintz_corey.html" target="_blank">Fed column</a>, I wrote about <a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2013/09/27/fed_kishka_my_mom_and_the_need_for_hope.html" target="_blank">my mother and her history with mental health</a>. The response has been overwhelming. Many people have said something positive, with a wink that adds, "I've got a cousin who's ... y'know". Many more people have contacted me to express how they felt a renewed sense of hope based on my mother's story, that it's possible to come out of the other side of this struggle (though a psychiatrist friend expressed concern over the general anti-psychiatry tone of the story, which was not my intention). And many more still sought help. While I'm thrilled that people are reaching out, I am, despite my honorary title of Doctor-Professor, not a medical doctor. But I provided these people with contact information and my mother has been responding one by one.<br /><br />And then there are the people who shared their personal stories. A lot of my reader mail consists of "BUT HOW MANY MUFFINS DOES THIS RECIPE MAKE?!" or "Where do I buy guajillo chilies?" Getting these emotionally devastating emails in quick succession blew me over. I share them here, names redacted upon request.<br /><div class="ii gt m14170bd55d63170a adP adO" id=":l1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; direction: ltr; margin: 5px 15px 0px 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div id=":n4" style="overflow: hidden;"><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>1.</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Corey,</span><br /><div class="ii gt m1416c3c8ef9d070d adP adO" id=":t0" style="direction: ltr; margin: 5px 15px 0px 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div id=":kx" style="overflow: hidden;"><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">&nbsp;I read with great interest and sympathy the article on your mother. &nbsp;Though you said a lot, obviously countless more could be said on so many levels (perhaps you may write more in the future?). &nbsp;But if nothing else it was a great help to me to hear that someone diagnosed with bipolar could eventually be weaned off all meds. &nbsp;</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like yourself, this is a personal family issue for me. &nbsp;My father was diagnosed with manic depression back in 1965 and just like your mother spent some time at the Clarke (who knows, perhaps they were there at the same time!). At the time he underwent ECT and apparently it helped him a lot. &nbsp;I think he also went on Lithium. &nbsp;Me and my 5 sibs were never told about it--he was on a "business trip" in New York. &nbsp;I was 11. &nbsp;Later during another manic episode in 1971 he moved out of the house very angry at my mother and when he crashed a few months later and asked to be taken back, she said no. &nbsp;He was in his mid 50's and just couldn't start over. &nbsp;In 1974 he took his own life with sleeping pills. &nbsp;He was only 58 and I was just 2 weeks away from my 20th birthday.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 1983 my oldest sister did the same thing. &nbsp;She was only 32. &nbsp;The decision seemed very sudden and impulsive though we knew she had been depressed. &nbsp;She had never received a psychiatric diagnosis. &nbsp;There does seem to be a tendency to depression in my family. &nbsp;My oldest brother is now 65 and he has been on some type of anti-depressant meds for 30 years now and also needs something to sleep. &nbsp;Two years ago he was diagnosed with ALS. &nbsp;(I can't help but wonder what the long term effects of SSRI's are.)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Myself I have struggled with depression most of my adult life. &nbsp;I strongly resisted taking meds since I always believed (and still do) that there is much more than mere genetics and biochemistry going on. I felt that as long as I could still function and eat and sleep properly, I would try to do without. &nbsp;Finally in 1995 when my 4th child was born I caved in. &nbsp;That lasted some 3 years. &nbsp;The improvement I felt was very modest and I did have one very debilitating side effect with all the SSRI's I tried: &nbsp;they made me very drowsy and as a school bus driver that was not good! &nbsp;The non SSRI's either didn't work or made me feel worse. &nbsp;Finally with the help of my spiritual director (who was also psychiatrist) I gradually withdrew. &nbsp;Perhaps, I reasoned,&nbsp;I was meant to bear this personal and family wound. &nbsp;I have stayed off since then with one exception, and that was for 6 months when I was going through my unwanted separation from my wife. &nbsp;That was 11 years ago.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now with one of my own children the "mental illness" curse would appear to be continuing, though I fear that the medical types have been far to eager to jump to diagnostic conclusions. &nbsp;A year and a half ago my then 17 year old daughter had a manic episode which was probably precipitated by some strong marijuana. &nbsp;After a week of very little sleep and almost constant talking in very grandiose way, but which also frightened her, her mom and I convinced her to get some help and we ended taking her to emergency at Sick Kids. &nbsp;She was admitted to adolescent psych ward, was there for nearly 3 weeks and exited with a firm diagnosis of bi-polar. &nbsp;Could they really be so certain after one brief episode? &nbsp;Originally she was on Seroquel, an anti-psychotic, but side effects made her switch to Lithium. &nbsp;(I couldn't believe the nurse practitioner when describing Lithium referred to it as the "gold standard" for treating bi-polar disorder. &nbsp;What an utterly meaningless statement, not to mention misleading!)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, long story short, your article gave me hope that a few years down the road when hopefully her life is more stable she may consider getting off the Lithium.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks so much.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>2.</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Corey,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was so touched by your column this week. Kudos to you and your mom for "coming out." &nbsp;I still do not have the courage to do so (so I would ask that my name, cryptic though it is from my email, remain confidential).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, I'm one of them. Forever labelled with "bi-polar disorder." &nbsp;It happened to me nearly two and a half years ago and like your mom, I weaned myself off a six-month forced treatment of &nbsp;lithim. I did it over a three-month period, taking myself down 1/4 of the dose every four weeks and also taking megavitamins that I'd ordered&nbsp;from Truehope.&nbsp;This was against the psychiatrist's recommendations, but thankfully I was only mandated to see her for a six-month period.&nbsp;So far, so good. A year and a half without drugs. I do take vitamin B6 and Bcomplex. I'm 54.&nbsp;I could go on...&nbsp;</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I believe your mom is right to say "if people are supported and in a comfortable environment, they will eventually cylcle out." Drugs only make the situation worse. &nbsp;Sleep played a critical role for me. &nbsp;&nbsp;I also believe that if "mental illness" was reframed as "emotional distress" it would be less damaging for everyone. I believe it's a problem with the heart and soul, not your head.&nbsp;Maybe I should be writing to your mom.</span></div><div><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">I support FOR's &nbsp;desire "to demand change within the mental health system." Psychiatrists seem more interested in handing out drugs than in helping people with their problems.&nbsp;</span>I hope that you will&nbsp;write more about this in your column, for your sake, your mom's, my own as well as &nbsp;many others who are labelled with psychiatric disorders and over-drugged.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you and Take Care</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">P.S. Your column has become a favourite of my&nbsp;<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_42929736" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Saturday</span></span>&nbsp;morning reading ritual.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Yeah, I could've edited out that last line. But I didn't because I live on compliments.</i></span></div></div></div></div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="ii gt m1416c3c8ef9d070d adP adO" id=":t0" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; direction: ltr; margin: 5px 15px 0px 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div id=":kx" style="overflow: hidden;"><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>3.</b></span><br /><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Hi Corey -</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I've been meaning to write to you for some time.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Love your column in the Toronto Star, and read it every week.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I'm not a meat-eater but I don't call myself a vegetarian because I might slip up. Your column on that subject was&nbsp;worded perfectly and nobody - from rabid vegans to&nbsp;meat-eaters to people like me -&nbsp;could have complained.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">You wrote it right down the middle,&nbsp;exactly as journalists used to do, but many seem to have lost this talent recently. You're one of the few remaining writers that really understands the importance of careful wording.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Your column on Jewish mothers - same thing. It was truly great. My husband is Jewish and I had him read that column. He went through the usual sighs, groans, and laughs that I expected. Your Mum sounds like a great person, and I'm sure she's terribly proud of you.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Now... Rob Ford. You wrote a column some time ago that you've asked Rob to attend one of your dinners, but he's refused.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I'm one of the few people who will admit to voting for Rob, and I'd love to see him&nbsp;profiled in your column.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I receive his weekly emailed newsletters and sometimes write quick notes back to him.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">So I'm writing to you now to see if you'd&nbsp;still like&nbsp;him to accept your invitation. The city is so divided on&nbsp;this&nbsp;mayor, your down-the-middle approach would be appreciated by many Torontonians.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">If you'd like, I'll email him to&nbsp;ask that he get in touch with you. Would that be okay with you, or have you given up on the prospect?</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Cheers!</span></div></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="yj6qo ajU" style="cursor: pointer; font-family: arial, sans-serif; outline: none; padding: 10px 0px; width: 22px;"><span style="line-height: 6px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>4.</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Corey:<br />I read your article this morning about your mother and burst into tears&nbsp;- your story and her story deeply resonated me.&nbsp; I wanted to reach out and give you a huge hug!<br />I'm a woman in my late 40's, my family's background is Ashkenazi-Jewish and I grew up in an affluent neighbourhood in Toronto.&nbsp; My mother, like yours, had very serious mental health illness.&nbsp; I never in her lifetime received a diagnosis of her condition, but her symptoms had a strong affective (ranging from deep depression to manic, terrifying rages) and psychotic components (mostly paranoid delusions).&nbsp; I believe she had schizo-affective disorder based on professionals I've since spoken with..<br /><br />Unlike your mother, my mum's hospital admissions were only a few days in length&nbsp;- so she was very much a presence in my life. She abused prescription drugs.&nbsp;&nbsp; My childhood memories were one of frequent humiliation in public due to her manic/paranoid episodes and ongoing fear walking home daily from school of what her state would be like at home.&nbsp; Often her children were the subject of her paranoid delusions (she thought we were trying to poison her and were part of worldwide plot to get her).&nbsp; I felt deeply marginalized by my peers at school - most of whom confident, secure,&nbsp;spoiled and cruel.&nbsp;&nbsp;Home was not safe....school was a lonely place.&nbsp; &nbsp;I was afraid to bring the few friends I had &nbsp;home.&nbsp; My father worked long hours, often coming home at&nbsp;<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_42929737" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">10:00</span></span>&nbsp;in the evening and so mostly was not around to protect or help us.&nbsp; Also, in the 1970's, mental illness in my opinion was treated in a vacuum without any thought about the impact on children or other family members.&nbsp; Mom simply went to her appointments to see her psychiatrist and we had no clue what went on there.&nbsp; When I tried to reach her psychiatrist in my early twenties by phone to express concerns about her worsening state (she was walking around the house with knives), his tone was arrogant and hostile.<br /><br />I'm sure you can relate to this - but coming from a culture, where, especially in the past, you didn't wash your dirty laundry in public and where image and appearances were extremely important, my families suffering remained largely hidden.<br />Before her illness set in (around her late twenties) my mother was a strikingly beautiful, bright&nbsp;young woman who completed a science degree in Nursing and proudly worked with premature infants in hospital settings.&nbsp; Once she was pregnant with her first child, she stopped working to be a full time mother and housewife (as was frequently done in those days.)<br /><br />You mentioned Jefferson airplane...my earliest (1960's) memories relate to the Beatles....for example, to keep my toddler self occupied while she was cooking, my mother plunked me down on the living room couch, but on the "Hard Day's night album" and gave me the mop top album cover to look at....She loved the Beatles!<br /><br />Since my mother passed away, I've been reflecting so much on the person that she really was if removed from her mental illness.&nbsp; I am thankful that she had nevertheless passed on good values to her children - we have all grown to be very down to earth, non-materialistic, non-pretentious people who treat others with respect, sensitivity&nbsp;and diplomacy.&nbsp; Like our mother, we lack big egos and have humility - All of these qualities I believe we learned from our mother and I am deeply thankful for the values she passed on.&nbsp; Below the surface of her terrible illness, &nbsp;She had a good heart, was liberal minded politically,&nbsp;was compassionate &nbsp;and&nbsp;loved animals and babies.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; When addressing acquaintances, and when not in one of her episodes, my mother always carried these qualities.<br /><br />I now live as a wife and professional with lovely children.&nbsp; By outward appearances, I seem to be calm and well-adjusted.&nbsp; What has, though, never left me to this day is the feeling of standing apart from the rest.&nbsp;&nbsp;My early life experiences were vastly different then many of my peers.&nbsp; However, I've stopped feeling sorry for my self or trying to fight the feeling of difference.&nbsp; I've turned it around to feel empowered by that feeling - as it has made me a sensitive and empathetic person.<br /><br />Finally, your mention of jewish comfort food!&nbsp; The other day, I rushed into UB to order some take-out for dinner, then stared lovingly, smiling&nbsp;at a perfectly round piece of gefilte fish in the display counter.&nbsp;&nbsp; My grandparents always served me gefilte fish with a big plate of home-made chunky fries (long before the term chunky fries was coined) when I went to their home for sleepovers.&nbsp; Their home was a safe and loving place and I had a very close relationship with them.&nbsp; To this day, gefilte fish (even better, with fries!) is my ultimate comfort food.&nbsp; And standing alone in my kitchen to make chicken soup is also a very comforting experience, trying my best to replicate my grandmother's version.&nbsp; With the wonderful aromas of the chicken, parsnip and carrots and other good stuff &nbsp;simmering, I really feel that she's standing next to me when I make the soup.&nbsp; I remember standing next to her as a young girl, peeling the vegetables for the soup.<br /><br />Thank you so much for sharing your story.&nbsp; You are not alone.&nbsp; Thank goodness there are available social work and other mental health professionals who can service the needs of family members.<br /><br />Warmly,<br />M in Toronto</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A lot of this reminded me of Reed Richard's strange resolution to the Skrull menace in Fantastic Four #2. Spoiler Alert. Though, c'mon, you've had years to read the second issue of Fantastic Four (Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, 1961)</i><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bgolUb2Efe0/UkrXHCOLvNI/AAAAAAAABkM/4MaJFg3TBhs/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-10-01+at+10.06.46+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="572" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bgolUb2Efe0/UkrXHCOLvNI/AAAAAAAABkM/4MaJFg3TBhs/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-10-01+at+10.06.46+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div></div></div></div>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-70773320058341049432013-09-18T14:38:00.000-04:002013-09-18T14:38:05.587-04:003 WIZDOMS FROM MARVEL COMICS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fyk6J03roWs/Ujnv2om58rI/AAAAAAAABis/fz-0recBCSk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-08-11+at+10.06.59+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="330" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fyk6J03roWs/Ujnv2om58rI/AAAAAAAABis/fz-0recBCSk/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-08-11+at+10.06.59+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">X-Men #118 (Chris Claremont, John Byrne, 1978)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Seriously, I don't like it when people assume crap. Try asking, bub.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KAmoEUxrZAs/UjnvynCAreI/AAAAAAAABik/Q0FPoc3Smt0/s1600/SW1_Beyonder.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="468" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KAmoEUxrZAs/UjnvynCAreI/AAAAAAAABik/Q0FPoc3Smt0/s640/SW1_Beyonder.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Secret Wars #1 (Jim Shooter, Mike Zeck, 1984)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">People regularly invite themselves to my house for dinner. Sometimes I tell them, "pitch me a good guest and your'e invited." But this offer stands as well. "Slay your enemies and all you desire shall be yours."</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lb0j10xLRmg/UjnwJ54DDXI/AAAAAAAABi8/dwPM33ZRLCw/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-27+at+10.16.24+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lb0j10xLRmg/UjnwJ54DDXI/AAAAAAAABi8/dwPM33ZRLCw/s640/Screen+shot+2011-01-27+at+10.16.24+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Fantastic Four #34 (Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, 1965)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"Divide and conquer." Gideon only appeared in one issue, but he had smart ideas.</div><br />Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-63206503391239931082013-08-20T15:33:00.000-04:002013-08-20T15:39:47.161-04:00BOX OF CLASSSometimes I get PR pitches for products like ice cream flavoured vodka, with a party invitation that says, "dress to impress in sorbet colours."<br /><br />Sometimes people send me hate mail, but also love mail.<br /><br />This stuff is worth a screencap or tweet. But sometimes I need to quote the entire email pitch, with zero commentary. This is such a time.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dA1mnXIDjmo/UhPEP8-hzUI/AAAAAAAABg0/DLV0k9Qtb3A/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-08-20+at+3.31.43+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="350" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dA1mnXIDjmo/UhPEP8-hzUI/AAAAAAAABg0/DLV0k9Qtb3A/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-08-20+at+3.31.43+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><h1 class="ha" style="background-attachment: inherit; background-clip: inherit; background-color: white; background-image: inherit; background-origin: inherit; background-size: inherit; border-right-color: inherit; border-right-style: inherit; border-right-width: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; margin: 12px 1px 9px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 8px;"><span class="hP" id=":1kf" style="font-size: large; outline: none; padding-right: 10px;" tabindex="-1">New Product Alert: Boxed wine just got a touch of class with the Boxxle</span></h1><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="hP" style="outline: none; padding-right: 10px;" tabindex="-1"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Hi Corey,</span></span></div><span class="hP" style="outline: none; padding-right: 10px;" tabindex="-1"></span><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="hP" style="outline: none; padding-right: 10px;" tabindex="-1"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd like to introduce you to the&nbsp;<strong>Boxxle</strong>, a new 3-liter premium box wine dispenser for home, bar or restaurant. It gives wine lovers an easy, convenient and attractive way to dispense and enjoy boxed wine … elevating it above the rim of the glass for easy dispensing, right down to the last drop. The Boxxle is a handsome stainless steel dispenser designed to rest on a countertop, bar or table.</span></span></div><span class="hP" style="outline: none; padding-right: 10px;" tabindex="-1"></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="hP" style="outline: none; padding-right: 10px;" tabindex="-1"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In the past, boxed wines have gotten a bum rap. Not anymore. Boxed wine stays fresh a minimum of four to six weeks; it’s shatter-proof, portable, will never have cork taint, and it's more environmentally conscious. The variety of boxed wines is impressive, with producers offering everything from Moscato to Monastrell and many smaller, family-owned wineries selling boxed versions of their premium wines including Cabernet Sauvignons, Chardonnays, Pinot Grigios and organics.</span></span></div><span class="hP" style="outline: none; padding-right: 10px;" tabindex="-1"><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; With Boxxle, wine lovers can use the entire bag without having to tip or drag the container to the edge of the countertop. Boxxle automatically compresses the bag and keeps wine fresh up to six weeks. With its contemporary design, the Boxxle is sturdy, built to last, and compliments any kitchen, bar or dining room décor. $100;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.boxxle.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.boxxle.com</a></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Samples and high res images available on request.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">BONUS:<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ziWhH1_xeAw/UhPFt95RUyI/AAAAAAAABhA/S6PaLHyYErs/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-08-20+at+3.38.00+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Times; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ziWhH1_xeAw/UhPFt95RUyI/AAAAAAAABhA/S6PaLHyYErs/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-08-20+at+3.38.00+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">fine print says "25% fewer calories than the leading &nbsp;dessert-inspired vodka beverages"</div></div></span></div>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-56313957642764357132013-08-01T13:53:00.000-04:002013-08-08T07:49:59.160-04:00Ancient Chinese Secret<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pUehWrOg8Ew/UfqdsiHPjwI/AAAAAAAABek/yp6vX-Oupjk/s1600/IMG_5419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pUehWrOg8Ew/UfqdsiHPjwI/AAAAAAAABek/yp6vX-Oupjk/s640/IMG_5419.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><b><br /></b><b>This week I have two stories about The Chinese (aka Chinese Traditional Bun).</b><br /><b>536 Dundas St. W. (open to 11, in case you're asking)</b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.randomhouse.ca/hazlitt/feature/murder-and-noodles" target="_blank">The piece in Hazlitt is about the need to have a Chinese restaurant in your life, the stabbing, the noodles and a the people behind it.</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2013/07/31/dan_dan_noodles_a_chinatown_favourite.html" target="_blank">The piece in the Star is a recipe column about the dan dan noodles, my favourite dish, with a video</a><span style="text-align: center;">, featuring Best Friend for Two-Months Jennifer Yang (I never would have gotten any of this without Jenny translating Mandarin for me).</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r17NXUQq5WI/UfqdpjI6NXI/AAAAAAAABec/TCi86tyDApc/s1600/IMG_5421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r17NXUQq5WI/UfqdpjI6NXI/AAAAAAAABec/TCi86tyDApc/s640/IMG_5421.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jenny locates the "sour vegetable fish" dish.</div><div><br /></div><br />Like any of this neighbourhood's 71 restaurant, the menu is many pages long.<br /><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Here are my favourites, beyond the dan dan noodles.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">First there are the eponymous buns (aka xian cured pork on bread), flat English muffin style buns fried on the flattop and filled with roasted beef or pork.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The lotus root and cucumber salads are similar, vinegary, refreshing and slicked with lots of sesame oil. The last time I ordered the cucumbers they brought sliced pig ear instead, soft as fresh-baked cookies, served in the same style.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Crispy strips of shredded beef have migrated around the menu, (before the murder they appeared on a supplementary handout page as “B1”), sometimes crispy and juicy as New Orleans shrimp, sometimes dry or food-court gloopy. When not in a gambling mood, I order mao po tofu, a more dependable staple.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">In the summer, a chilled alternative, “jellied tofu”, presents a pool of tart and spicy sauce over a bowl of custardy bean curd, to mix at your pleasure.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">In the winter, I search for a soup that has appeared all over the menu, currently as “sliced fish with pickled vegetable sauce”. It is a sharing sized bowl of green liquid, very acidic, sadistically spicy. At the top are chunks of white fish, strips of pickled vegetables and a minefield of green and red chilies.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The mutton soup is good if you like mutton. But it’s not going to sell you on old lamb if you already dislike it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Fried eggplant in black bean sauce and gai-lan slathered in garlic are dependable dishes you’ll find everywhere. Green beans with shredded or ground pork (luck of the draw) can be better than the Chinese broccoli. But on off-nights they are desiccated or sugary.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">When I go in a group someone always insists on ordering dumplings, which I’m not so hot on. A better bet is the green onion pancake, lined with hoisin sauce, rolled in tin foil like a Chinese burrito.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>276</o:Words> <o:Characters>1578</o:Characters> <o:Company>Toronto Star</o:Company> <o:Lines>13</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>3</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>1937</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <!--EndFragment--><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">No doubt there are more treasures. If you find them, please tell me.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1JPanxe9GNw/Ufqc4s8vKTI/AAAAAAAABds/TJa7dGStwPw/s1600/IMG_5249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1JPanxe9GNw/Ufqc4s8vKTI/AAAAAAAABds/TJa7dGStwPw/s640/IMG_5249.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">What's in this bowl?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M0fDpVAeIos/Ufqcfj4fToI/AAAAAAAABdU/UvQiNAWkgFg/s1600/IMG_5229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M0fDpVAeIos/Ufqcfj4fToI/AAAAAAAABdU/UvQiNAWkgFg/s640/IMG_5229.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2013/07/31/dan_dan_noodles_a_chinatown_favourite.html" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank"></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eaFBPjKH4c0/UfqcG3x6AVI/AAAAAAAABc8/S6qt5siKdDY/s1600/IMG_5216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eaFBPjKH4c0/UfqcG3x6AVI/AAAAAAAABc8/S6qt5siKdDY/s640/IMG_5216.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fnJKOv_UhF0/UfqcMzwDyLI/AAAAAAAABdM/6nC6NvUiyZM/s1600/IMG_5217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fnJKOv_UhF0/UfqcMzwDyLI/AAAAAAAABdM/6nC6NvUiyZM/s640/IMG_5217.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NdDSi2yHhnY/UfqcLSKSIbI/AAAAAAAABdE/MgULjxge18Q/s1600/IMG_5224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NdDSi2yHhnY/UfqcLSKSIbI/AAAAAAAABdE/MgULjxge18Q/s640/IMG_5224.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1VQi-nEwnXU/Ufqcjs0Z7mI/AAAAAAAABdc/WZQ35s1If6Q/s1600/IMG_5236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1VQi-nEwnXU/Ufqcjs0Z7mI/AAAAAAAABdc/WZQ35s1If6Q/s640/IMG_5236.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">How do you make the noodles?</div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>156</o:Words> <o:Characters>892</o:Characters> <o:Company>Toronto Star</o:Company> <o:Lines>7</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>1095</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Noodles<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">6-8 cups flour<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">1½ cups water<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">pinch of salt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">3 tbsp vegetable oil<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><!--EndFragment--></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">In a large mixing bowl, slowly add water, oil and salt to flower, mixing by hand into a ball. Transfer to table and fold by hand. Once dough is solid, begin passing through pasta roller on wide setting, folding with each pass. Don’t worry about overworking the flour as it is supposed to be chewy. When flour is worked through dough, portion into 280 gram balls. Roll each ball out into 6 inch cylinders. Line up inside storage container. Brush with oil. Cover and rest at room temperature for 5 hours. Roll each strip out to 12 inches. Return to storage container. Brush with oil and rest for 5 more hours. Roll each strip out to the thickness of an Ethernet cable or a pen. In a large, circular container, coil noodles like a cobra. Brush with oil and rest for 10 more hours. Braid strands around two hands and shake in a circular motion, like skipping rope. As you fling downwards, smack the noodles against the work table. Cut into 12 inch strands. For each serving, cook in boiling water for 5 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rGoLwiqlS8o/Ufqc8x00lZI/AAAAAAAABd0/JJ4GT4enlEo/s1600/IMG_5245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rGoLwiqlS8o/Ufqc8x00lZI/AAAAAAAABd0/JJ4GT4enlEo/s640/IMG_5245.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4jMg5mYa1O0/UfqcowJCLJI/AAAAAAAABdk/wPyii4KWaD0/s1600/IMG_5238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4jMg5mYa1O0/UfqcowJCLJI/AAAAAAAABdk/wPyii4KWaD0/s640/IMG_5238.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cQqWRoGYNkQ/UfqdYhzXw1I/AAAAAAAABeM/hNMf9T8OGLk/s1600/IMG_5326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cQqWRoGYNkQ/UfqdYhzXw1I/AAAAAAAABeM/hNMf9T8OGLk/s640/IMG_5326.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MuGbQypVRiw/UfqdX15CaBI/AAAAAAAABd8/LdfbA-a2u2o/s1600/IMG_5327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MuGbQypVRiw/UfqdX15CaBI/AAAAAAAABd8/LdfbA-a2u2o/s640/IMG_5327.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WIkrLI4iRaE/UfqdYFXRx8I/AAAAAAAABeI/yzAKfC3au98/s1600/IMG_5383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WIkrLI4iRaE/UfqdYFXRx8I/AAAAAAAABeI/yzAKfC3au98/s640/IMG_5383.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pAyBmxih_D0/Ufqdif54G7I/AAAAAAAABeU/SvSt8Pc0nOM/s1600/IMG_5450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pAyBmxih_D0/Ufqdif54G7I/AAAAAAAABeU/SvSt8Pc0nOM/s640/IMG_5450.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hero.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The original lead for the column, cut for length:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><i>In the early 70s there was a commercial for laundry soap that would be considered pretty racist now.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><i>In the ad, launderer Mr. Lee claims to have an “ancient Chinese secret” for getting shirts so clean. The eastern mystery, which he can’t share with his clientele, turns out to be Calgon laundry detergent.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>61</o:Words> <o:Characters>353</o:Characters> <o:Company>Toronto Star</o:Company> <o:Lines>2</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>433</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <!--EndFragment--></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><i>The racial caricature wouldn’t fly today. But the idea of practical cultural secrets, hidden to us westerners, remains.</i></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2013/07/31/dan_dan_noodles_a_chinatown_favourite.html" style="text-align: start;" target="_blank"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/BJP5f-fsHrs?rel=0" width="420"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">An editor just found Steve Russel's photos from the restaurant.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--SDILq3YvQA/UgOFXu3cTxI/AAAAAAAABfo/3WnZuYD1nAs/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-08-08+at+7.44.12+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--SDILq3YvQA/UgOFXu3cTxI/AAAAAAAABfo/3WnZuYD1nAs/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-08-08+at+7.44.12+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1Pr_aY-cjzY/UgOFWhi2jDI/AAAAAAAABfc/1TcYB-4p2Ms/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-08-08+at+7.43.40+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="404" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1Pr_aY-cjzY/UgOFWhi2jDI/AAAAAAAABfc/1TcYB-4p2Ms/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-08-08+at+7.43.40+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OIt1L2xtRKo/UgOFc14AFFI/AAAAAAAABfw/9KIHZKq_1eI/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-08-08+at+7.44.41+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="418" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OIt1L2xtRKo/UgOFc14AFFI/AAAAAAAABfw/9KIHZKq_1eI/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-08-08+at+7.44.41+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yde4pNb7GGw/UgOFeMErVKI/AAAAAAAABf4/cqk56E2ORNY/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-08-08+at+7.45.01+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="416" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yde4pNb7GGw/UgOFeMErVKI/AAAAAAAABf4/cqk56E2ORNY/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-08-08+at+7.45.01+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VtpMYJ9ZzyM/UgOFWibvCSI/AAAAAAAABfY/I6tynXdGJ-M/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-08-08+at+7.44.28+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="406" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VtpMYJ9ZzyM/UgOFWibvCSI/AAAAAAAABfY/I6tynXdGJ-M/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-08-08+at+7.44.28+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-52548006853751161372013-07-28T08:09:00.000-04:002013-07-29T17:33:32.687-04:00SHUT YOUR BUTT.So I got some kind of Twitter virus that I couldn't stop. It kept sending everyone the same reply (basically it told everyone "SHUT YOUR BUTT.") and I had to take my computer to the shop. People seemed to find it amusing because they are children. And Buzzfeed wrote about it.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/davidelmaleh/hacked-toronto-star-columnists-twitter-account-is-a64k">http://www.buzzfeed.com/davidelmaleh/hacked-toronto-star-columnists-twitter-account-is-a64k</a><span id="goog_872293802"></span><span id="goog_872293803"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><br /><br />But I had a column to file, a recipe to test and dealing with this was a major hassle. So that was my weekend. Thank you to people who offered technical advice. Sorry to everyone I annoyed. It seems to be over. I hope so.<br /><br />Since taking the laptop to get fixed, I was hesitant to log in through my phone. The account has been flooded with people asking that their butts be shut. At the risk of being impolite, I don't have time to respond to you all with the requested butt-shuttance.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.houseofanansi.com/How-to-Host-a-Dinner-Party-P1861.aspx" target="_blank">I wrote a book</a> this year. But I think SHUT YOUR BUTT will be more widely read. Oh well. Beats working.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4WudCUo-XR8/UfSTxDcZ1RI/AAAAAAAABVc/b26BWacuhhA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-27+at+11.41.30+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4WudCUo-XR8/UfSTxDcZ1RI/AAAAAAAABVc/b26BWacuhhA/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-07-27+at+11.41.30+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AwuTdBJZHSM/UfSTwXmoXPI/AAAAAAAABVU/s6UawVQhnc4/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-27+at+11.40.58+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AwuTdBJZHSM/UfSTwXmoXPI/AAAAAAAABVU/s6UawVQhnc4/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-07-27+at+11.40.58+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WvNFEGVr6mc/UfSTuxjcA2I/AAAAAAAABVM/Qu7zUp7hGqM/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-27+at+11.43.46+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WvNFEGVr6mc/UfSTuxjcA2I/AAAAAAAABVM/Qu7zUp7hGqM/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-07-27+at+11.43.46+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Do with your butts whatever you wish. Open, closed, whatever man. I'm not the boss of your butt.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=shutyourbutt&amp;src=typd" target="_blank">#shutyourbutt</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Don't think it was annoying? This was my feed yesterday.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k-Sthe2sh6E/UfVRRMcXpuI/AAAAAAAABV0/J2zW0WLnHio/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.00.05+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><img border="0" height="88" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k-Sthe2sh6E/UfVRRMcXpuI/AAAAAAAABV0/J2zW0WLnHio/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.00.05+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X0TzLoCH2_s/UfVRRWtZYQI/AAAAAAAABWI/KM4mwrbS_14/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.00.23+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="522" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X0TzLoCH2_s/UfVRRWtZYQI/AAAAAAAABWI/KM4mwrbS_14/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.00.23+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ywSFYS5P7S4/UfVRRO7xLrI/AAAAAAAABV4/qkERN0vvZbI/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.00.45+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="84" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ywSFYS5P7S4/UfVRRO7xLrI/AAAAAAAABV4/qkERN0vvZbI/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.00.45+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G3PCgCSa8GI/UfVRSlCB_eI/AAAAAAAABWQ/mATL0gkIq4U/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.01.28+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="542" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G3PCgCSa8GI/UfVRSlCB_eI/AAAAAAAABWQ/mATL0gkIq4U/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.01.28+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6JawIm9N80g/UfVRTtKPQbI/AAAAAAAABWc/YjvCyHgQI1s/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.02.01+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="604" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6JawIm9N80g/UfVRTtKPQbI/AAAAAAAABWc/YjvCyHgQI1s/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.02.01+PM.png" width="640" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-34wYAz6z4J4/UfVRDsTjTgI/AAAAAAAABVw/9seitXVzIbg/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.07.42+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="560" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-34wYAz6z4J4/UfVRDsTjTgI/AAAAAAAABVw/9seitXVzIbg/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.07.42+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bMtZSSaFFZQ/UfVRUA6dpgI/AAAAAAAABWk/ipMWQgEtBzU/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.02.26+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="606" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bMtZSSaFFZQ/UfVRUA6dpgI/AAAAAAAABWk/ipMWQgEtBzU/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.02.26+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nvJRmalVhUU/UfVRUkTExXI/AAAAAAAABWw/nU8ZajLxG5M/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.02.44+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nvJRmalVhUU/UfVRUkTExXI/AAAAAAAABWw/nU8ZajLxG5M/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.02.44+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AGdjQE-0t8g/UfVRU5el5aI/AAAAAAAABWs/unMDkAn1a-w/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.04.26+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="594" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AGdjQE-0t8g/UfVRU5el5aI/AAAAAAAABWs/unMDkAn1a-w/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.04.26+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nC8QepLW6kM/UfVRVGg80CI/AAAAAAAABW0/KL5zGOico6M/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.04.52+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="564" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hbE4Qc-pSPw/UfVRSF5i_xI/AAAAAAAABWE/t-QBerAlgAA/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.01.03+PM.png" width="640" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5IJ9WnE6IJM/UfVRZoOspxI/AAAAAAAABYA/ujSVwJkJ-Kg/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.08.32+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5IJ9WnE6IJM/UfVRZoOspxI/AAAAAAAABYA/ujSVwJkJ-Kg/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-07-28+at+1.08.32+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><iframe class="vine-embed" frameborder="0" height="600" src="https://vine.co/v/hAxBKHbFxE7/embed/simple" width="600"></iframe><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js"></script>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-50056684032289881242013-07-24T11:02:00.002-04:002013-07-24T11:05:02.569-04:00Asthma Lizard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YocxSNFnuIM/Ue_qvgaPO3I/AAAAAAAABUk/dxZmXX5gVr8/s1600/IMG_5344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YocxSNFnuIM/Ue_qvgaPO3I/AAAAAAAABUk/dxZmXX5gVr8/s640/IMG_5344.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While shopping for ingredients, Chinese spices for next week's Feast column recipe, I ended up in Kyu Shon Hong Co. ltd (439 Dundas St. W.). They have some nutty stuff, like this lizard. The shopkeeper, while lopping off their hands, feet and heads, said that you boil them and drink the water, to treat asthma.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aZSOW-H49uQ/Ue_qnqaDvwI/AAAAAAAABUE/BcM0B6PPZGA/s1600/IMG_5313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aZSOW-H49uQ/Ue_qnqaDvwI/AAAAAAAABUE/BcM0B6PPZGA/s640/IMG_5313.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p9kE9UZoYy0/Ue_qofejqOI/AAAAAAAABUM/p9yIxo-pgcY/s1600/IMG_5314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p9kE9UZoYy0/Ue_qofejqOI/AAAAAAAABUM/p9yIxo-pgcY/s640/IMG_5314.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EWZgRncyPN8/Ue_qh-TjBoI/AAAAAAAABT0/DEQKXISinsE/s1600/IMG_5308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EWZgRncyPN8/Ue_qh-TjBoI/AAAAAAAABT0/DEQKXISinsE/s640/IMG_5308.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MCWny6hTSIg/Ue_qievUpSI/AAAAAAAABT8/5qBawFOXpW0/s1600/IMG_5309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MCWny6hTSIg/Ue_qievUpSI/AAAAAAAABT8/5qBawFOXpW0/s640/IMG_5309.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hEOq16pj9-0/Ue_quje_i0I/AAAAAAAABUc/9fxGZHynNFY/s1600/IMG_5345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hEOq16pj9-0/Ue_quje_i0I/AAAAAAAABUc/9fxGZHynNFY/s640/IMG_5345.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1N1w9QaPDWE/Ue_qpRewyQI/AAAAAAAABUU/QL6gYAIp-s4/s1600/IMG_5315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1N1w9QaPDWE/Ue_qpRewyQI/AAAAAAAABUU/QL6gYAIp-s4/s640/IMG_5315.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Oh, they have red deer sinews too.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-62499620684480600592013-07-24T10:46:00.000-04:002013-07-24T10:46:11.282-04:00Swag<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LKj6_UXbFUU/Ueg0uL-cUsI/AAAAAAAABS4/CdFqPiw6tJo/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-18+at+10.13.17+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LKj6_UXbFUU/Ueg0uL-cUsI/AAAAAAAABS4/CdFqPiw6tJo/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-07-18+at+10.13.17+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />There was a passage in <a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2013/07/18/whats_behind_unusual_ice_cream_flavours_mintz.html" target="_blank">this week's column</a> that explained how I deal with most of the free stuff that comes my way. It got cut down for length. But it's pretty important to me. So I'll post the whole thing here.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">"</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Recently I wrote about the <a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2013/05/22/corey_mintzs_sangria_sorbet_meltdown.html" target="_blank">sangria sorbet at Frank’s Kitchen</a>, for which I borrowed my friend’s ineffective ice cream machine, the kind where you have to freeze the bowl. I had to go back to the restaurant to respin it in their deluxe ice cream maker, the kind that freezes things. Shortly after, the company sent me the good one.</span></i></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>47</o:Words> <o:Characters>271</o:Characters> <o:Company>Toronto Star</o:Company> <o:Lines>2</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>332</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <!--EndFragment--><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><i>For the past five years I’ve been writing about food and I’ve been offered a lot of free goods. This stuff is almost homogenously garbage; flavoured oils and superfluous hot sauces. In the time it took to write these few paragraphs, I’ve been pitched an avocado scooper (aka a wooden spoon) and something called “Chilly Ribbons”. Seriously. Five minutes ago I got an email form a major producer of kitchen knives, who wants to “collaborate” with me. Often they send these things without asking. I try to give away as much as possible.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>128</o:Words> <o:Characters>731</o:Characters> <o:Company>Toronto Star</o:Company> <o:Lines>6</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>897</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <!--EndFragment--><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><i><br />When I was on staff at the Star I wasn’t allowed to accept any gift over $25. As a freelancer, I can do whatever I want. So after five years, diverting a river of unwanted swag junk, I kept the damn ice cream machine I was sent and invited my friends to an ice cream party."</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IwGWuwT3xBs/Ueg0yLut8zI/AAAAAAAABTA/sYvpmugPY-4/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-18+at+2.04.48+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="444" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IwGWuwT3xBs/Ueg0yLut8zI/AAAAAAAABTA/sYvpmugPY-4/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-07-18+at+2.04.48+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">My former head intern <a href="https://twitter.com/PayChen" target="_blank">Pay Chen</a> tasting the cheese ice cream.</div>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-2593590066003418192013-05-26T18:11:00.002-04:002013-05-27T11:10:51.069-04:00Book Photos & Videos!If you are already predisposed to like me, you may enjoy this page. If, like many reasonable people, you dislike me, look away now. You will find nothing in this self-promotional post to change your mind.<br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/67019831" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br /><a href="http://vimeo.com/67019831">HOW TO HOST A DINNER PARTY: The (short) Movie</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user18556447">Corey Mintz</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br /><br />We made a video to go with the <a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2013/05/23/how_to_host_a_dinner_party_reveals_the_secrets_of_the_stars_serial_host.html" target="_blank">launch of the book</a>.<br /><br />Thank you so much, Marni Van Dyk and Emma Hunter of <a href="http://www.shesaidwhat.ca/#_" target="_blank">She Said What</a>, Eric Miinch of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/123924507659445/?fref=ts" target="_blank">Fratwurst</a>. You were all terribly funny and fun to work with. Thanks to Keith Beaty&nbsp;of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ" target="_blank">Toronto Star</a> for shooting it and Taras Slawnych for letting us do it.<br /><br />It is similar (though for legal reasons distinct) to a video I did with <a href="http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/05/23/how-to-host-a-dinner-party/" target="_blank">Jessica Allen at MacLean's, for their coverage of the book</a>.<br /><br /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" height="412" id="flashObj" width="486"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=2402084753001&playerID=11932538001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAyz2WOE~,aVUQ6mHrguC3SzWDnMlRYDiGocOp4FSC&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=2402084753001&playerID=11932538001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAyz2WOE~,aVUQ6mHrguC3SzWDnMlRYDiGocOp4FSC&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="486" height="412" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" swLiveConnect="true" allowScriptAccess="always" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object><br /><br />This seems as good as any place to show some photos from the fantastic launch party. It all kind of went by very quickly. Fortunately, Paul Terefenko and Chuck Ortiz took some pictures.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-km7cmr2Rqf0/UaKNsYPk9yI/AAAAAAAABNs/EmyoslekPLk/s1600/IMG_3169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-km7cmr2Rqf0/UaKNsYPk9yI/AAAAAAAABNs/EmyoslekPLk/s640/IMG_3169.JPG" width="424" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oA82KBe-3Os/UaKN3S7NtKI/AAAAAAAABOc/YNuPJDnxjw0/s1600/IMG_3233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oA82KBe-3Os/UaKN3S7NtKI/AAAAAAAABOc/YNuPJDnxjw0/s640/IMG_3233.JPG" width="424" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I spent most of the night doing this.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LXSDgjMkuT4/UaKNyzfDjCI/AAAAAAAABN8/BfCV9VjsGs0/s1600/IMG_3223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LXSDgjMkuT4/UaKNyzfDjCI/AAAAAAAABN8/BfCV9VjsGs0/s640/IMG_3223.JPG" width="424" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lN-tHOXhV-k/UaKNvmcGCaI/AAAAAAAABN0/4fMyxtFh8LQ/s1600/IMG_3321+copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lN-tHOXhV-k/UaKNvmcGCaI/AAAAAAAABN0/4fMyxtFh8LQ/s640/IMG_3321+copy.JPG" width="424" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--fkLbUQEn24/UaKRj0ju_uI/AAAAAAAABQE/zeDqUv9QWmI/s1600/IMG_4396.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--fkLbUQEn24/UaKRj0ju_uI/AAAAAAAABQE/zeDqUv9QWmI/s640/IMG_4396.jpg" width="602" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/superduperlaura" target="_blank">Laura Adams</a> came correct with the nail polish.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oK9wdq7tkVc/UaKPiJe_Z1I/AAAAAAAABPU/nwH9yBLhOvs/s1600/943169_10101789293398762_419852118_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oK9wdq7tkVc/UaKPiJe_Z1I/AAAAAAAABPU/nwH9yBLhOvs/s640/943169_10101789293398762_419852118_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rSc7cdSQV7U/UaKNzLneq8I/AAAAAAAABOA/UBfV1tiRBu8/s1600/IMG_3224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rSc7cdSQV7U/UaKNzLneq8I/AAAAAAAABOA/UBfV1tiRBu8/s640/IMG_3224.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I gave a lil' speech.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c-k2iqVNolI/UaKNzlr6OAI/AAAAAAAABOM/yndIVYlrP7E/s1600/IMG_3225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c-k2iqVNolI/UaKNzlr6OAI/AAAAAAAABOM/yndIVYlrP7E/s640/IMG_3225.JPG" width="424" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-00EtlIRoqy0/UaKN2hQUQoI/AAAAAAAABOU/0-aG43BFLQo/s1600/IMG_3228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-00EtlIRoqy0/UaKN2hQUQoI/AAAAAAAABOU/0-aG43BFLQo/s1600/IMG_3228.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CsUeVetLoV0/UaKN_O7A72I/AAAAAAAABO8/ckZsBiPfioE/s1600/IMG_3324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CsUeVetLoV0/UaKN_O7A72I/AAAAAAAABO8/ckZsBiPfioE/s640/IMG_3324.JPG" width="424" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B6TPTA6TsY8/UaKQYDrPo7I/AAAAAAAABP4/g4hLO7fTt_U/s1600/392366_10152822476570594_47784765_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B6TPTA6TsY8/UaKQYDrPo7I/AAAAAAAABP4/g4hLO7fTt_U/s640/392366_10152822476570594_47784765_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Some people say that <a href="http://porkosity.blogspot.ca/2012/09/fed-146-ttc-ceo-andy-byford.html" target="_blank">Andy Byford</a> and I look alike. Several people came up to him asking to have their books signed. He said he'd get up and make a speech, if I would take his place answering questions about the TTC.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LE7nLx6iAJ0/UaKN_MBVu3I/AAAAAAAABPA/4MBsBkCB4uU/s1600/IMG_3327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LE7nLx6iAJ0/UaKN_MBVu3I/AAAAAAAABPA/4MBsBkCB4uU/s640/IMG_3327.JPG" width="424" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uKcWRFFGzjY/UaKPiDIdKfI/AAAAAAAABPY/scXQ--Sl1hs/s1600/179165_10101789293912732_740501049_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uKcWRFFGzjY/UaKPiDIdKfI/AAAAAAAABPY/scXQ--Sl1hs/s640/179165_10101789293912732_740501049_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7i4vOuH2z_0/UaN29z_MTiI/AAAAAAAABQY/eoZFkBEjlnc/s1600/IMG_4406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7i4vOuH2z_0/UaN29z_MTiI/AAAAAAAABQY/eoZFkBEjlnc/s640/IMG_4406.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Shooting with the crew, the watchful eye of my great-uncle Cornelius von Mintzberg, watching over.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_NmryFf7BOI/UaN3ACinaFI/AAAAAAAABQg/umSL-MesFD0/s1600/IMG_4409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_NmryFf7BOI/UaN3ACinaFI/AAAAAAAABQg/umSL-MesFD0/s640/IMG_4409.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.typebooks.ca/" target="_blank">Here is her beautiful work.</a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FomOBR5eH1A/UaKPkFhG-kI/AAAAAAAABPk/1912BoPZBq8/s1600/BLDqQS8CUAAKuW-.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FomOBR5eH1A/UaKPkFhG-kI/AAAAAAAABPk/1912BoPZBq8/s640/BLDqQS8CUAAKuW-.jpeg" width="640" /></a>I cannot express how my head exploded when <a href="http://www.ghostfaceknittah.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Kalpna Patel</a>, aka&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/GhostfaceKnitta" target="_blank">The Ghostface Knitta</a>, offered to design a window for me at Type.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KJewSV9PiVM/UaKPlQAbgjI/AAAAAAAABPs/l03x3rPSEzE/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-05-24+at+5.04.20+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KJewSV9PiVM/UaKPlQAbgjI/AAAAAAAABPs/l03x3rPSEzE/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-05-24+at+5.04.20+PM.png" width="634" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Oh, for the people who've been asking for the past year, you can buy this book now, l<a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/how-to-host-a-dinner/9781770892309-item.html" target="_blank">ike, in book stores.</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-48683380821914784892013-05-18T16:58:00.000-04:002013-05-18T17:09:55.528-04:00How to Host a Fast and Furious 6 Dinner Party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qx4E3gFweFs/UZft-rhx5sI/AAAAAAAABNc/zt7MxB_Xof0/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-05-18+at+5.08.02+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qx4E3gFweFs/UZft-rhx5sI/AAAAAAAABNc/zt7MxB_Xof0/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-05-18+at+5.08.02+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Seeing double?</div><br /><div class="gE iv gt" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; cursor: auto; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; padding: 12px 0px 3px;"><table cellpadding="0" class="cf gJ" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-top: 0px; width: auto;"><tbody><tr class="acZ" style="height: 16px;"><td class="gF gK" style="margin: 0px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap; width: 706px;"><table cellpadding="0" class="cf ix" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; width: 706px;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px;"><div class="iw" style="display: inline-block; max-width: 92%; overflow: hidden; white-space: nowrap;"><span class="gD" email="mintz.corey@gmail.com" name="corey mintz" style="color: #222222; display: inline; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">corey mintz</span>&nbsp;<span class="go" style="color: #555555; vertical-align: top;">&lt;_____._____@gmail.com&gt;</span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td class="gH" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;"><div class="gK" style="padding-right: 2px; padding-top: 0px;"><span alt="Wed, Mar 20, 2013 at 10:52 AM" class="g3" id=":2ny" style="margin-right: 3px; vertical-align: top;" title="Wed, Mar 20, 2013 at 10:52 AM">Mar 20</span><br /><div aria-checked="false" aria-label="Starred" class="zd" role="checkbox" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; height: 20px; outline: 0px;" tabindex="-1"><span class="T-KT" style="display: inline-block; height: 19px; margin: -4px 0px; padding: 2px; text-align: center; width: 19px;"><img alt="" class="f T-KT-JX" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" /></span></div></div></td><td class="gH" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;"></td><td class="gH acX" rowspan="2" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;"><div class="T-I J-J5-Ji T-I-Js-IF aaq T-I-ax7 L3" role="button" style="-webkit-box-shadow: none; background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgb(245, 245, 245), rgb(241, 241, 241)); border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392); box-shadow: none; color: #444444; cursor: default; display: inline-block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; height: 27px; line-height: 27px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -8px; min-width: 32px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 8px; position: relative; text-align: center; z-index: 1;" tabindex="0" title="Reply"><img alt="" class="hB T-I-J3" role="button" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background-image: url(https://ssl.gstatic.com/mail/sprites/general-ed262c302e1fa4d8f28e489f99b2572f.png); background-position: 0px -66px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; height: 21px; margin-top: -3px; opacity: 0.55; vertical-align: middle; width: 21px;" /></div><div class="T-I J-J5-Ji T-I-Js-Gs aap T-I-awG T-I-ax7 L3" id=":2pc" role="button" style="-webkit-box-shadow: none; background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgb(245, 245, 245), rgb(241, 241, 241)); border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392); box-shadow: none; color: #444444; cursor: default; display: inline-block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; height: 27px; line-height: 27px; margin-left: -1px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -8px; min-width: 21px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; z-index: 1;" tabindex="0" title="More"><img alt="" class="hA T-I-J3" role="menu" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background-image: url(https://ssl.gstatic.com/mail/sprites/general-ed262c302e1fa4d8f28e489f99b2572f.png); background-position: 0px -44px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; height: 21px; margin-top: -3px; opacity: 0.55; vertical-align: middle; width: 21px;" /></div></td></tr><tr class="acZ xD" style="height: 16px;"><td colspan="3" style="margin: 0px;"><table cellpadding="0" class="cf adz" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; white-space: nowrap; width: 782px;"><tbody><tr><td class="ady" style="margin: 0px; overflow: hidden;"><div class="iw ajw" style="display: inline-block; max-width: 92%; overflow: hidden;"><span class="hb" style="color: #777777; vertical-align: top;">to&nbsp;<span class="g2" email="uniadvertising@nbcuni.com" name="uniadvertising" style="vertical-align: top;">uniadvertising</span></span></div><div aria-haspopup="true" class="ajy" style="display: inline-block; margin-left: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><img alt="" aria-label="Show details" class="ajz" data-tooltip="Show details" id=":2pb" role="button" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background-image: url(https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&amp;view=dim&amp;iv=amo1tqfqsw2s&amp;it=ic); background-position: -60px -100px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; height: 12px !important; padding: 0px 0px 1px; vertical-align: bottom; width: 12px !important;" tabindex="0" /></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="utdU2e" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"></div><div class="tx78Ic" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"></div><div class="aHl" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-left: -38px;"></div><div id=":2q3" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" tabindex="-1"></div><div class="ii gt m13d884971d80bfcc adP adO" id=":2nw" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; direction: ltr; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 5px 15px 0px 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div id=":2nv" style="overflow: hidden;">Dear Mr. or Mrs.&nbsp;<span class="il" style="background-color: #ffffcc;">Universal</span>,<br /><div><br /></div><div>As we approach the deadline in our conflict, I would like to propose a solution.</div><div><br /></div><div>On May 24th, your motion picture&nbsp;<i><a href="http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/universal/fastfurious6/" target="_blank">Fast and Furious 6</a>&nbsp;</i>is scheduled for release. The following day, May 25th, my book,&nbsp;<i><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Host-Dinner-Party-Corey-Mintz/dp/1770892303" target="_blank">How To Host A Dinner Party</a>,</i>&nbsp;will be officially available for sale.</div><div><br /></div><div>Without getting bogged down in market research that we've both analyzed to death, let us agree that each of these hip, modern media properties is aimed squarely at the same demographic: 18-35 year-old males who are married to, or live in the basements of, 36-54 year-old females. Now, I don't want to compete with you and I don't think you want to compete with me. I mean, this book is going to do major, major business. And I'm pretty certain that your film is going to do boffo box-office. If I know anything about the book and movie industries (and I don't), I'm pretty certain that we're each guaranteed to gross over $100 million that weekend. But why compete? I feel that a mutually beneficial compromise, is to combine our efforts and split the revenue.</div><div><br /></div><div>For every person who tells me that they've pre-ordered my book, I'll email them a link to where they can buy tickets to&nbsp;<i>Fast and Furious 6</i><i>.&nbsp;</i>For every book I sign, I'll write, "Fastly and Furiously yours". And in exchange, you could maybe have Vin Diesel on Ellen, talking about how much he loves to host dinner, or maybe a Happy Meal with sponsored toy cars and dinner hosting tips? It's called synergy. Finally, we will add up the sales (NET) for both book and movie, and divide them evenly. I'm not sure which cost more, your movie or my book. But this way we're both guaranteed to make money.</div><div><br />It's win-win. And I think it's better than the alternative. Neither party wants to concede the weekend to&nbsp;<i>The Hangover: Part III</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>Perhaps there are some details of this arrangement that need to be ironed out. I look forward to your feedback.<i>&nbsp;</i>(Also I'm not certain how to buy tickets online so please include that link in future correspondance).</div><div>--&nbsp;</div><br />Corey Mintz</div></div></div>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-21818647608343136202013-05-16T09:25:00.001-04:002013-05-20T16:58:34.527-04:00Fed Podcast<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>82</o:Words> <o:Characters>471</o:Characters> <o:Company>Toronto Star</o:Company> <o:Lines>3</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>578</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lw-bEw4Cd_I/UZTba0wp6fI/AAAAAAAABNE/-Qbg0e0BZKg/s1600/IMG_6371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lw-bEw4Cd_I/UZTba0wp6fI/AAAAAAAABNE/-Qbg0e0BZKg/s640/IMG_6371.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">If you heard me on the <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/metromorning/episodes/2013/05/16/how-to-host-a-dinner-party/" target="_blank">CBC's Metro Morning</a>, you were probably like, "I need that dude to whisper into my ear with his honey &amp; whisky voice." Well, because YOU demanded it, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/fed-by-corey-mintz/id643132094" target="_blank">I started a podcast</a>.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Every week in my Toronto Star column, Fed, I cook and host dinners for different interesting people: cops, artists, politicians, monkeys, junkies and whatnot.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The dinners are fun and I hope the column is as well. But trying to stuff a four hour dinner conversation into a 750 word column leaves a lot of meat on the table. For a while I used to transcribe a lot of that dialogue and put it on the blog. BUT THAT IS A LOT OF WORK. And it's more fun to hear it than read it.&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Also there is a dimension that doesn’t come across on the printed page.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The Fed podcast will be monthly and feature a digest of conversations, 15-30 minutes, from a dinner that's probably 4 hours. So hopefully, the best of the best.<br /><br />The podcast is produced and edited by</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">&nbsp;Michael Thomas with music by Max Mandel.<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/fed-by-corey-mintz/id643132094" target="_blank"> The first episode, featuring the Toronto casino debate with urban planner Ken Greenberg and chef Mark McEwan</a>, is already up.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The next episode, which will drop the first week of June, will be from the proto-Fed lunch with food writer Ruth Reichle, the one mentioned on Metro Morning.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It's a new medium for me. I'm still figuring it out. Any feedback is welcome (email is on the contacts page), unless it's to suggest that I set up six broadcast-quality microphones at the dinner table. That will not happen.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I hope you enjoy.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dQEJkF7e6F0/UZTbflA4vYI/AAAAAAAABNM/jcp44QnVzKk/s1600/IMG_6036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dQEJkF7e6F0/UZTbflA4vYI/AAAAAAAABNM/jcp44QnVzKk/s640/IMG_6036.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div><!--EndFragment-->Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914718015896501507.post-91335698935357347302013-05-11T20:24:00.001-04:002013-05-13T16:48:29.855-04:00Food Sovereignty in Ontario?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xj7LQgCDBTI/UY7hQmiX4aI/AAAAAAAABMc/7iBD1Gw9VUM/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-05-11+at+8.23.10+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xj7LQgCDBTI/UY7hQmiX4aI/AAAAAAAABMc/7iBD1Gw9VUM/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-05-11+at+8.23.10+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Vegetarian version (with smoked eggplant) of the <a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2013/05/02/feast_harbord_rooms_bucatini_carbonara.html" target="_blank">carbonara recipe from Harbord Room.</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In response to the <a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2013/05/10/good_eggs_farmers_delight_in_the_glee_they_see_in_freerange_birds.html" target="_blank">Fed column about Marrianne and Svante Lind, the cage-free egg farmers</a>, a reader from Barry's Bay, Ontario, writes, "<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I am disgusted with the stupid food laws in Canada. I have to stop producing real eggs from my small flock of hens due to the Chicken Police. I consider most of the food sold in Ontario stupidmarkets to be shit."</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">He pointed me toward an article about Sedgwich, Maine, where the local council passed a law allowing them to produce and sell to each other, whatever foods they want (eg. raw milk, locally slaughtered animals). <a href="http://www.foodrenegade.com/maine-town-declares-food-sovereignty/" target="_blank">Basically, they declared "food sovereignty" from the state of Maine</a>. Since Sedgwich in 2011, a total of 9 Maine towns have done the same.</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The briefest of backgrounds on this is that many small farmers are unable to produce the quality foods they've made for generations, because state, provincial or federal regulations require that they meet codes set by the industrial producers who control their industries (a simplification, but I did say I'd be brief).</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The reader would like to pass such an ordinance in his Ontario town. Is such a thing possible in Canada?</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">An answer, from a lawyer friend, who will remain unnamed:<br /><br />"</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Impossible as the law currently stands. &nbsp;</span></span><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Municipalities have only the powers granted to them by the province, and a municipal by-law will not apply to the extent that it is inconsistent with a federal or provincial law. &nbsp;</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is why Councillor Mammoliti's really well-thought-out plan to create a "red light district" on the Toronto Islands won't work: &nbsp;the city can't authorize prostitution that is criminalized by federal law (the Criminal Code). &nbsp;If Councillor Mammoliti wanted to legalize murder on the Islands the same problem would arise. &nbsp;So no&nbsp;<i>Running Man: Centreville</i>, I'm afraid.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So the City can't unilaterally decide that it will exempt its residents from provincial or federal law.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If the province wanted to, the province could allow the City to make by-laws that took precedence over provincial law. &nbsp;But probably the province will not want to do this in the name of "food sovereignty". &nbsp;Whether they are effective or not, most provincial laws about food are about food safety (like the law about raw milk) and it's unlikely that the province will agree to lift these protections from the people who happen to live in Toronto. &nbsp;And even this wouldn't get around federal law, since of course the province can't authorize the City to ignore federal law.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">The City apparently can't even prohibit residents from eating shark fin soup:&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="http://canlii.ca/t/fv05b" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">http://canlii.ca/t/<wbr></wbr>fv05b</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">. &nbsp;Certainly it can't grant itself "food sovereignty."</span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">"</span></span></span>Corey Mintzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18351944193638019056noreply@blogger.com